EastEnders actress Diane Parish has addressed her future on the BBC soap as her character Denise Fox approaches a major health storyline. Speaking ahead of the 20th anniversary of Denise's first appearance, Parish admitted she never expected to play the role for so long.
Parish, who recently accepted the show's 12th BAFTA award, said: 'Tomorrow morning I’ll have been part of this show for 20 years - I never thought it would be possible to sustain one character for this period of time.' She reflected on Denise's journey, including being 'dead, homeless, and eating out of bins'.
The actress revealed her favourite storyline was 'The Six' murder whodunnit, which led to Denise's psychosis. 'It was my absolute fave - the resulting psychosis for Denise. It sounds a little bit odd but it was so much fun doing it,' she said.
Fans have expressed concern that Denise may be killed off after Parish previously hinted she would assess her future at the 20-year mark. However, she suggested no immediate plans to leave, adding: 'But who knows what is to come, you always get a new favourite, it changes all the time.'
Denise is set to be diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, sparking fears among viewers. One fan posted: 'Don’t you DARE take ar D away from us.' Another wrote: 'You better not take D or istg I’ll riot.'
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
