Comedian and actress Ronni Ancona is set to make her debut on EastEnders in the new year, playing a mysterious new character named Bea. The BAFTA-winning impressionist, known for her uncanny take on Peggy Mitchell, Sharon Watts and Kat Slater on The Big Impression, will now step into Albert Square for real.
Bea arrives after a high-school reunion with Linda Carter, where old tensions quickly resurface as the two women remember their school days very differently. Once in Walford, Bea is immediately drawn into the drama, with insiders describing her as a woman with layers, secrets and bite.
Ancona said: “I am honoured to have been invited to join the iconic institution that is EastEnders, and to go on this whirlwind of a journey with such an unpredictable, nuanced and complex character as Bea. I hope audiences have as much fun watching her as I have had bringing her to life.”
Executive Producer Ben Wadey called Ancona “immensely talented” and hinted that Bea’s mysterious presence will make her one to watch. The casting follows a recent shock return by Sam Mitchell, who was spotted lurking in the shadows, prompting fan theories of revenge over the murder of Dirty Den Watts 20 years ago.
