BBC EastEnders’ Rosie Miller was played by an actress who also had a role in Only Fools and Horses, but you might not recognise her from the small screen.
Over the years, EastEnders has seen many families come and go from Albert Square, but the Miller family remains etched in viewers’ memories, particularly with the recent return of lovable rogue Mickey (Joe Swash) to Walford.
Long-time fans of the BBC One soap will recall Rosie Miller (Gerry Cowper) and her couch potato husband Keith (David Spinx), who was rarely seen without his beloved armchair and TV. The couple moved to the Square in 2004, along with their children Dawn (Kara Tointon) and Mickey, and twins Demi (Shana Swash) and Darren (Charlie G. Hawkins).
The Millers were quickly labelled as troublemakers and received a frosty reception from their neighbours, most notably from Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard), who was appalled by 13-year-old Demi’s teenage pregnancy.
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Despite their rocky start, audiences grew fond of the boisterous family following their trials and tribulations throughout the 2000s. The head of the Miller clan, Rosie, was portrayed by Geraldine “Gerry” Cowper from 2004 to 2006, who also had a stint on Only Fools and Horses, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The West London-born actress, now 66, is also known for her role as Rowan Morrison in the 1973 horror film The Wicker Man. She boasts an impressive list of TV credits, including Casualty, Law and Order, The Bill, Dick Turpin, among others.
Gerry also appeared in two memorable episodes of Only Fools and Horses, playing Lisa, Trigger’s (Roger Lloyd Pack) attractive niece, in the Tea for Three and The Frog’s Legacy.
In the episode Tea for Three, which aired in September 1986, Del Boy (David Jason) and Rodney Trotter (Nicholas Lyndhurst) find themselves vying for Lisa’s attention. In a desperate bid to win her over, they invite her to their high-rise flat for tea, but Rodney is already blushing from a sunbed prank.
Seeking revenge on Del Boy for his humiliating pranks, Rodney convinces him to try hand-gliding over the countryside, which ends disastrously. In an unexpected twist, it turns out that Lisa was engaged all along.
Over a year later, Gerry reprised her role as Lisa in the beloved sitcom when her character tied the knot. The Frog’s Legacy, which aired on Christmas Day in 1987, saw Del Boy embark on a mission to recover stolen gold bullion.
Peckham’s favourite hustlers, Del and Rodney, discover they are set to inherit a fortune after running into an old family friend at Lisa’s wedding in Hampshire.
The gold originally belonged to Frederick Robdal, also known as Freddie the Frog, who left his wealth to close friend Joan Trotter.
Joan then passed it down to her sons, Del and Rodney. In this episode, Gerry Cowper appears as Lisa at the start of the episode.
While Joe Swash has reprised his role as Mickey on EastEnders, Gerry has not returned to Walford since leaving 18 years ago.
Could Rosie Miller ever make a comeback to Albert Square? In the world of soap operas, anything can happen.
EastEnders airs Monday – Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
