Diane Parish is an EastEnders legend – but she actually had a role on the BBC soap way before she shot to fame as Denise Fox.
The actress appeared as Denise Fox for the first time way back in 2006. Since then, she’s become a firm favourite and has been involved in several big storylines.
Denise had a slew of failed relationships and even had to fake her death at one point. Over in Walford at the moment, she is dealing with the fallout of the Christmas Day murder – that saw her and the rest of The Six bury Keanu Taylor’s body under the cafe.
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But it turns out Denise was not Diane’s first character that she played on EastEnders. And according to the actress herself, her first role on the soap was “excruciating.”
(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
In 1998, Diane starred as Lola Christie on EastEnders. Lola was introduced as the girlfriend Albert Square resident Mick McFarlane.
However speaking on the TV programme Secrets of The Square, Diane admitted that the role of singer Lola wasn’t for her. She said: “It was the most excruciating role. I don’t sing, I’m not a singer and it was horrible!”
(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
“Oh, it was awful. I remember Patsy Palmer came up to me at one point and she goes: ‘Oh don’t worry, it sounds really good, don’t worry about it’. I thought: ‘It don’t, Patsy!’”
Diane, who only played Lola for a year, added: “She goes: ‘No, it’s really good, it is!’ She’d just be so positive. The role wasn’t for me.”
(Image: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)
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Shortly after her first EastEnders stint, she bagged roles in the likes of Holby City and The Bill. Diane played DC Eva Sharpe in ITV drama The Bill from 2002-2004, which also starred her future on-screen EastEnders husband Scott Maslen as DS Phil Hunter.
Diane was also presented with the Royal Television Society’s best actress award in 2001, for her critically acclaimed role in TV series The Babyfather. But in 2006 she was called up again by EastEnders bosses to see if she wanted to play Denise – and the rest is history.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
