Sharon Rickman
Encyclopedia
Sharon Anne Rickman is a fictional character
from the popular BBC1 soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Letitia Dean
, who was a regular cast member for the first 10 years after the programme began on 19 February 1985. She returned in May 2001, and appeared on and off, having most recently appeared in January 2006. Dean has expressed her interest in reprising the role of Sharon on numerous occasions.
Sharon is the adoptive daughter of the popular 'supercouple
'; the late Den
and Angie Watts
. She was known to Den as his "princess" and he made sure suitors watched their step around the teenage Sharon. Even though she disapproved of her father's dodgy deals and his constant fighting with binge-drinker Angie, she loved them both nonetheless.
and Anita Dobson
). She was constantly caught in her adoptive parents' stormy marriage. Den's "princess" was initially troublesome; her behaviour resulted from resentment of Den's womanising and Angie's alcoholism. Nonetheless, she loved them both.
(Adam Woodyatt
) in 1986 ends when Sharon realises she prefers a more experienced man; she dates Simon Wicks
(Nick Berry
), who dumps her when she refuses to have sex. In October 1987 she seeks refuge from her turbulent homelife from local church curate
Duncan Boyd (David Gillespie); they get engaged, but Sharon tires of him and ends the relationship.
When Den gets involved in gangland crime, he is shot and presumed dead. Sharon later discovers Den's signet ring on a market stall. With Den's body missing, Sharon persuades the police to drag a canal in April 1990; a body is found and identified as Den's. Sharon rekindles a relationship with Simon, but he cheats on her with Cindy Beale
(Michelle Collins
). Hurt and missing her parents, Sharon traces her birth mother, Carol Hanley (Sheila White
). They meet several times but when Carol confesses she has no maternal feelings for Sharon, the meetings stop.
Sharon remains at the Queen Vic, working as a barmaid. She starts dating Grant Mitchell
(Ross Kemp
) in 1990. A possessive boyfriend, Grant beats Sharon's boss, Eddie Royle
(Michael Melia
), for making a pass at her. After discovering that Grant's violent behaviour results from a traumatic experience in the Falklands War
, she agrees to marry him. Eddie fires Sharon for this and she takes him to an industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal; she wins, but Eddie refuses to reinstate her. Sharon tells Grant she will only marry him if he gets her tenancy at the Vic. Grant makes this happen, and Sharon becomes the Vic's new licensee in October 1991. That Boxing Day
Grant springs a surprise wedding on Sharon. Initially unimpressed with his romantic gesture, she marries him following persuasion from her best friend, Michelle Fowler
(Susan Tully
).
Sharon and Grant's marriage is tempestuous and rows occasionally end in violence. While Grant wants to start a family, Sharon prefers to concentrate on making the Vic a success. When Grant discovers she is taking the contraceptive pill, he smashes up the pub and disappears; Sharon is comforted by his brother Phil
(Steve McFadden
). Starting to wonder if she has married the wrong brother, Sharon has sex with Phil in September 1992. Phil is prepared to risk everything to be with her, but she chooses Grant. The marriage deteriorates further when Grant torches the Vic in an insurance scam, nearly killing Sharon and her dog Roly
, who are trapped inside; Sharon tells Grant their marriage is over. In March 1993, Grant hits Sharon during a power struggle over management of the Vic. Michelle calls the police during one of Grant's outbursts and he is imprisoned for assaulting them. While he is in prison, Sharon and Phil reunite and live secretly as a couple. Neither want to tell Grant, and when he is released, Sharon takes him back, leaving Phil dejected.
Phil gets engaged to Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth
); Sharon realises she still has feelings for him and tries to seduce him. Phil kisses her in a moment of passion he immediately regrets. Sharon convinces herself she is happy with Grant and considers having children with him. Simultaneously, Michelle's boyfriend Geoff Barnes
(David Roper
) wants to interview Sharon for a book he is writing. Michelle conducts a recorded interview, but when it finishes, the girls forget to turn off the recorder and discuss Sharon's affair with Phil. Grant finds the tape and on the night of Phil and Kathy's engagement party in October 1994, he plays it to a packed Queen Vic and then beats Phil, hospitalizing him. Grant bullies and humiliates Sharon until she agrees to divorce him and leaves to stay with Angie in America.
Sharon returns in March 1995 to hostility from the Mitchells. She is unperturbed and her gutsy behaviour earns her Grant's respect; he realizes he still loves her. Wanting revenge for her mistreatment, she leads Grant on while telling Michelle that she plans to humiliate him publicly. They have sex and Sharon lets Grant think a public marriage proposal will seal their reunion. Grant attempts this on the Vic's quiz night; Sharon is all set to turn him down but suddenly cannot go through with it and stops him from proposing. She confesses that she still loves him, then returns to America alone.
(Barbara Windsor
) sells The Queen Victoria to an anonymous buyer who turns out to be Sharon. Peggy loathes Sharon and regrets selling the pub. Sharon's boyfriend Ross Fletcher (Ché Walker
) joins her, claiming he has left his wife, but Sharon discovers he is lying and ends the relationship. With Grant no longer around, Phil and Sharon rekindle their romance. They survive Peggy's attempts to break them up, but when Sharon reveals that she had aborted Grant's baby in 1995 and this has left her infertile, Phil takes the news badly. Knowing Phil would not be content without children of his own, Sharon leaves him.
Sharon brings her mother's body back from America in 2002 for burial. Angie's death of liver poisoning, affects Sharon badly; she rebuffs Phil's attempts to reunite and instead starts a relationship with her old school friend, Tom Banks
(Colm O'Maonlai). The relationship survives the arrival of Tom's psychotic wife Sadie (Isobel Middleton), who constantly attempts to break them up. Sadie spreads lies about Tom, then breaks into Sharon's flat and holds her hostage, threatening to kill herself if Tom does not take her back. Tom and Sharon manage to stop Sadie and she is hospitalized. Sharon sells her share of the Vic to the Mitchells in September 2002 and she and Tom purchase a club, naming it "Angie's Den." Soon after, Tom is diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. Sharon stands by him; they plan to marry and go travelling, but on the night of their engagement party, Tom is killed in an explosion after ran into a burning house to save Little Mo
and Trevor Morgan
(Kacey Ainsworth
and Alex Ferns
). Sharon goes through a tough period of grief.
Early in 2003, Sharon and Den's youngest daughter Vicki
(Scarlett Johnson
) discover that Den had an estranged son, Dennis Rickman
(Nigel Harman
). After making contact, Dennis moves to Walford to live with Sharon. Dennis has links to the same criminal organisation as his father, and after doing some detective work he discovers that Den is still alive; Sharon refuses to believe this.
Meanwhile, Dennis falls in love with Sharon. Despite claiming to see Dennis merely as a brother (and only by adoption, not blood), she has feelings for him too. They have sex in September 2003 but their affair is halted by Den's return. He had survived the shooting 14 years earlier in 1989 and fled to Spain for safety. Sharon had spent years feeling guilty about disowning Den before his supposed demise; she is thrilled to see Den but furious about the unnecessary hurt he caused. Den moves in with Sharon and when he discovers Sharon and Dennis are romantically involved, he blackmails Dennis into ending the relationship. Dennis begrudgingly dates Zoe Slater
Michelle Ryan
), but as 2004 ends, he secretly reuintes with Sharon. The couple plan to move to America on Christmas Day, but then Zoe announces she is pregnant. This is a ruse Den concocts to split-up Sharon and Dennis; Sharon refuses to let Dennis abandon his child and leaves Walford. She returns briefly in February 2005 when summoned by Den's second wife Chrissie
(Tracy-Ann Oberman
). Chrissie, Zoe, and Sam Mitchell
(Kim Medcalf
) confront Den about his deceitful deeds, including Zoe's fake pregnancy. Disgusted, Sharon disowns Den and leaves and Chrissie murders Den, bashing him repeatedly with a cast-iron doorstop. Aided by Zoe and Sam, Chrissie buries Den's body in the Vic's cellar.
Dennis reunites with Sharon in America, and in June 2005 they return to confront Den; Chrissie claims he has left with another woman. Sharon and Dennis marry on 29 August 2005 but, during their reception, Sam Mitchell is arrested after she digs up Den's body to incriminate Chrissie. Sam is charged with Den's murder and her brothers, Phil and Grant, return, determined to exonerate her; they convince Sharon that Chrissie is guilty. After a decade apart, Sharon and Grant are more friendly towards each other and resolve their past grievances. Sam is released after Johnny Allen
(Billy Murray
) records Chrissie confessing to Den's murder. Chrissie is caught at the airport attempting to flee and Sharon punches her before she is arrested.
Sharon and Dennis enjoy marriage and on Christmas Day 2005, Sharon ia stunned to discover she is pregnant but happiness is fleeting. On New Year's Eve 2005, Dennis gets involved in Phil Mitchell's vendetta against Johnny Allen. Johnny responded to Sharon and Dennis interfering in his relationship with his daughter Ruby
(Louisa Lytton
) by throttling Sharon and threatening to kill Dennis unless they leave Walford by midnight on New Year's Eve. Sharon persuades Dennis to leave after confiding in Phil, but Phil tells Dennis who responds by beating Johnny. Johnny calls Danny Moon
(Jake Maskall
) to kill Dennis; Dennis is stabbed and dies in Sharon's arms. Heartbroken, Sharon refuses to speak, only breaking her silence to ask Phil to avenge Dennis's murder. She breaks down at Dennis's funeral, clawing her face in distress. Concerned for her unborn child, Phil persuades Sharon to move back to America on 13 January 2006. Phil enacts revenge; Johnny is imprisoned after confessing to Dennis's murder and Danny Moon is killed. On 4 July 2006, Pauline Fowler
(Wendy Richard
) receives news that Sharon has given birth to Dennis Rickman Jr.
and Julia Smith
. The character of Sharon was originally to be named Tracey and she and her parents were to be the occupants of the soap's local pub, now famously known as The Queen Vic. Holland, who had worked as a barman in his youth, called upon his own personal experiences to invent the Watts family and the pub they lived in. Holland and Smith had always been critical of the way pubs had been portrayed on television feeling they lacked vitality and life, so they were determined that their pub and occupants were going to be more 'real'. The Watts were seen by Holland as integral to the show's success, partly because he had already guessed that the pub was going to be a monstrous battleground where emotions would run high on a regular basis, and also because the occupants would be providing the majority of the drama.
Sharon's original character outline as written by Smith and Holland appeared in an abridged form in their book, EastEnders: The Inside Story
. In this passage, Sharon will be referred to as Tracey and her parents as Jack and Pearl (known now as Den and Angie).
, due to be Sharon's closest peer. Out of the various applicants they had seen, only actress Letitia Dean
had all of those qualities. As the casting directors were only looking for real East End actors, she falsely claimed that she was born and raised in Hackney
, east London. The lie paid off and she got the part, clinching the deal because of her laugh, which Holland and Smith have described as "the dirtiest in the world!"
In 1991, author Hilary Kingsley compared Sharon to her mother Angie: "There's a lot of her mother in Sharon Watts. There is the warm sympathy and the barbed tongue for a kick-off. But Sharon is more sensible than Angie, less likely to fly off the beer handle in The Vic. All the same, she's a sensitive, vulnerable girl who is easily hurt. Even so, that doesn't stop her going after something that she really wants...Sharon came through to become a nice girl behind the streetwise image...with her blonde hair and bright make-up she adds a cheerful touch to drab Albert Square."
Sharon has also been described as a "buxom femme fatale", and one of "life's survivors", who has had "many moments of emotional turmoil".
An early controversial storyline involving Sharon revolved around her desire to take contraceptive pills to persuade Kelvin Carpenter
(Paul J. Medford
) to date her. This storyline caused tremendous interest in the UK. It was a fairly daring issue to tackle in the 1980s, as it involved a girl under 16, and it aired at a time when the issue was very prominent in British society. People took sides with the issue and her story became a debate used as a teaching method, both in schools and at home. Many families admitted that as a result, they were discussing such taboo topics opening in their homes for the first time i years, or ever.
Sharon went on to feature in a complicated storyline about the ups and downs of a pop group called The Banned. Their song "Something Outa Nothing," which was performed on-screen in the plot, was released in the real world by actors Letitia Dean and Paul J. Medford
. It was seen as an interesting and major undertaking in the serial, but one that Holland and Smith felt never entirely worked.
In the early years, Sharon's main storylines depicted the plight of a young woman struggling to find her true identity while growing up in a broken home. When both her onscreen parents had departed the show by early 1989, the writers and producers decided to develop her character more fully and move away from the 'spoilt-princess' image she'd been given initially. Being the only remaining member of the Watts family required Sharon to become more independent and determined; perhaps this was cemented onscreen by the discovery that her adored father had impregnated her best friend Michelle when she was 16. Sharon discovered this in a special two-hander episode written by Tony McHale, which aired in April 1989. The episode returned to a model established by the first Den-and-Angie solo episode, with revelations and major character changes to an important relationship and gave Letitia Dean and Susan Tully
(Michelle) the chance to demonstrate how much they had grown as actresses during their 4 years on trhe programme. It was held in high regard by the show's producers, directors, and writers.
The arrival of the Mitchell brothers in 1990 heralded a new era for EastEnders, but also for Sharon Watts. Phil
and Grant Mitchell
were introduced by Executive Producer Michael Ferguson
, as he wanted to bring in a couple of young men who would bring an air of danger to the show. Both the Mitchell brothers would prove to be extremely important for the character of Sharon in the following years, most notably marrying one brother and then having an affair with the other. Despite the fact that Sharon married Grant initially, former EastEnders writer Tony Jordan
has revealed in The Mitchells - The Full Story that the love-triangle storyline between Grant, Sharon and Phil had been planned from their introduction after the writers came to the realisation that "Sharon was perfect for them both". This storyline was slow burning and was spread out for several years. Things finally came to a head in 1994 with some of EastEnders most popular and renowned episodes, which have been dubbed "Sharongate
".
The episodes centred around Grant's discovery that his wife had been having an affair with his brother. It was watched by 18.4 million viewers and was voted the sixth top soap opera moment of the decade in a poll of 17,000 people for What's On TV magazine. The aftermath of the storyline eventually saw Sharon leave Walford
after ten years in the show. Off-screen, Letitia Dean had decided to leave the show to take other acting roles.
poll, and was chosen as the favourite soap comeback by almost one third of viewers. Since her return, the character has undergone several character changes and has been central to many key storylines, most notably the return of her infamous father Den Watts
, and her relationship with her adoptive brother Dennis Rickman
, a storyline that was nicknamed "Shannis". Sharon has had several departures and returns since this time and has become one of the longest-running characters in the show's history. She was last seen on-screen in January 2006.
said, "This show should be X-rated. This kind of thing is just not on. It is an adults-only soap opera. I shudder to think of the embarrassing questions parents face from their children after Sunday [omnibus] afternoon viewing." A BBC spokesperson responded, "It is not our policy to be sexually provocative. It just mirrors real life in the East End of London."
ed in the ITV
cartoon
sketch show 2DTV
. In one sketch she was likened to the Jim Henson
Muppet Miss Piggy
, but she is more regularly depicted as someone who is always crying, and says "Oink!" (in a further Miss Piggy reference).
The character has also been spoofed by the Scottish impressionist
Ronni Ancona
in BBC's Big Impression
. Ancona's impression mocked Letita Dean's pronunciation skills, inferring that she pouts a lot and that she looks badly dubbed, as her lips quiver after delivering a line. The episodes featuring Sharon aired on the Christmas day special of the programme, in 2001.
The British celebrity-based magazine heat
regularly mocked the character of Sharon in their television reviews of upcoming EastEnders episodes, often referring to her as "Sharon and her incredible acting eyebrows".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the popular BBC1 soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Letitia Dean
Letitia Dean
Letitia Dean is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Sharon Watts in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, who was one of the serial's original characters. Dean was part of the original cast in 1985 and remained in the series until 1995...
, who was a regular cast member for the first 10 years after the programme began on 19 February 1985. She returned in May 2001, and appeared on and off, having most recently appeared in January 2006. Dean has expressed her interest in reprising the role of Sharon on numerous occasions.
Sharon is the adoptive daughter of the popular 'supercouple
Supercouple
A supercouple or super couple is a popular or financially wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or even obsessive fashion...
'; the late Den
Den Watts
Dennis Alan "Den" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Leslie Grantham. He became well known for his tabloid nickname, "Dirty Den"....
and Angie Watts
Angie Watts
Angela "Angie" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Anita Dobson from the first episode of the show until 1988 when the actress decided to quit and the character was written out....
. She was known to Den as his "princess" and he made sure suitors watched their step around the teenage Sharon. Even though she disapproved of her father's dodgy deals and his constant fighting with binge-drinker Angie, she loved them both nonetheless.
Backstory
Sharon was born to Carol Stretton and adopted at age 3 by Den and Angie Watts (Leslie GranthamLeslie Grantham
Leslie Michael Grantham is an English actor best known for his role as "Dirty" Den Watts in the soap opera EastEnders. He is also a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a German taxi driver, and he generated significant press coverage as the result of an online sex scandal...
and Anita Dobson
Anita Dobson
Anita Dobson is an English television actress and singer. She gained her highest profile while playing Angie Watts in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
). She was constantly caught in her adoptive parents' stormy marriage. Den's "princess" was initially troublesome; her behaviour resulted from resentment of Den's womanising and Angie's alcoholism. Nonetheless, she loved them both.
1985–95
A brief romance with Ian BealeIan Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
(Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
) in 1986 ends when Sharon realises she prefers a more experienced man; she dates Simon Wicks
Simon Wicks
Simon "Wicksy" Wicks is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nick Berry between 1985 and 1990. Wicksy was introduced to take on some of the more adult storylines that had been scripted for another character, Mark Fowler; Mark's actor David Scarboro had left...
(Nick Berry
Nick Berry
Nicholas "Nick" Berry is a British television actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Simon Wicks in the British soap opera EastEnders from 1985 to 1990 and as PC Nick Rowan in the British drama television series Heartbeat from 1992 to 1998.-Career:Berry started acting at the age of...
), who dumps her when she refuses to have sex. In October 1987 she seeks refuge from her turbulent homelife from local church curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
Duncan Boyd (David Gillespie); they get engaged, but Sharon tires of him and ends the relationship.
When Den gets involved in gangland crime, he is shot and presumed dead. Sharon later discovers Den's signet ring on a market stall. With Den's body missing, Sharon persuades the police to drag a canal in April 1990; a body is found and identified as Den's. Sharon rekindles a relationship with Simon, but he cheats on her with Cindy Beale
Cindy Beale
Cindy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Collins.Cindy always had an eye for the lotharios of Walford and despite trying to settle down repeatedly with the more reliable Ian Beale, she was unable to remain faithful to him. She had a selfish...
(Michelle Collins
Michelle Collins
Michelle Danielle Collins is a British actress best known for her roles on television in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Cindy Beale, Coronation Street as Stella Price, and BBC dramas Sunburn and Two Thousand Acres of Sky...
). Hurt and missing her parents, Sharon traces her birth mother, Carol Hanley (Sheila White
Sheila White (actress)
Sheila White is an English actress and West End musical star. She is married to the former theatre producer Richard M. Mills and lives in Kingston, Surrey.- Early life and career :White was born in London...
). They meet several times but when Carol confesses she has no maternal feelings for Sharon, the meetings stop.
Sharon remains at the Queen Vic, working as a barmaid. She starts dating Grant Mitchell
Grant Mitchell (EastEnders)
Grant Anthony Mitchell is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Ross Kemp. Grant first appeared in 1990, introduced by producer Michael Ferguson to revamp the show. Kemp remained until 1999 when he opted to leave...
(Ross Kemp
Ross Kemp
Ross James Kemp is a BAFTA award-winning British actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
) in 1990. A possessive boyfriend, Grant beats Sharon's boss, Eddie Royle
Eddie Royle
Edward "Eddie" Royle is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael Melia from 1990 until 1991.-Storylines:...
(Michael Melia
Michael Melia
Michael Melia is an established British actor best known for his work on television.Melia was born in Berkshire and attended St. Mary's College, Twickenham, the oldest Roman Catholic college in England. Before taking up acting he was a teacher. At one stage he ran a bar in Spain and thought about...
), for making a pass at her. After discovering that Grant's violent behaviour results from a traumatic experience in the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, she agrees to marry him. Eddie fires Sharon for this and she takes him to an industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal; she wins, but Eddie refuses to reinstate her. Sharon tells Grant she will only marry him if he gets her tenancy at the Vic. Grant makes this happen, and Sharon becomes the Vic's new licensee in October 1991. That Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
Grant springs a surprise wedding on Sharon. Initially unimpressed with his romantic gesture, she marries him following persuasion from her best friend, Michelle Fowler
Michelle Fowler
Michelle Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actress Susan Tully.Although she was one of the brighter people in Walford, that didn't stop Michelle making some huge mistakes during her time in Albert Square...
(Susan Tully
Susan Tully
Susan Tully is an English television producer, director and former actress.Her most prominent television roles to date have been those of single mother Michelle Fowler in the BBC soap opera EastEnders and her pivotal part in early Grange Hill...
).
Sharon and Grant's marriage is tempestuous and rows occasionally end in violence. While Grant wants to start a family, Sharon prefers to concentrate on making the Vic a success. When Grant discovers she is taking the contraceptive pill, he smashes up the pub and disappears; Sharon is comforted by his brother Phil
Phil Mitchell
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden.Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy...
(Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden is an English actor, known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since1990.-Early life:...
). Starting to wonder if she has married the wrong brother, Sharon has sex with Phil in September 1992. Phil is prepared to risk everything to be with her, but she chooses Grant. The marriage deteriorates further when Grant torches the Vic in an insurance scam, nearly killing Sharon and her dog Roly
Roly
Roly is a fictional dog from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Roly was an apricot coloured Standard Poodle, who appeared in the first episode of the programme and remained in the show until 1993.-Storylines:...
, who are trapped inside; Sharon tells Grant their marriage is over. In March 1993, Grant hits Sharon during a power struggle over management of the Vic. Michelle calls the police during one of Grant's outbursts and he is imprisoned for assaulting them. While he is in prison, Sharon and Phil reunite and live secretly as a couple. Neither want to tell Grant, and when he is released, Sharon takes him back, leaving Phil dejected.
Phil gets engaged to Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Kathy Mitchell on the BBC soap opera, EastEnders and as Jackie Pascoe-Webb on ITV's Footballers Wives , but more recently as Sgt. Nikki Wright in ITV's The Bill...
); Sharon realises she still has feelings for him and tries to seduce him. Phil kisses her in a moment of passion he immediately regrets. Sharon convinces herself she is happy with Grant and considers having children with him. Simultaneously, Michelle's boyfriend Geoff Barnes
Geoff Barnes
Geoff Barnes is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by David Roper.Geoff was introduced as a love interest for the long running character, Michelle Fowler, in 1994. He was much older than Michelle, and their age difference caused most of the major problems in their...
(David Roper
David Roper
David Roper is a British actor, best known for his roles in the sitcoms The Cuckoo Waltz and Leave it to Charlie....
) wants to interview Sharon for a book he is writing. Michelle conducts a recorded interview, but when it finishes, the girls forget to turn off the recorder and discuss Sharon's affair with Phil. Grant finds the tape and on the night of Phil and Kathy's engagement party in October 1994, he plays it to a packed Queen Vic and then beats Phil, hospitalizing him. Grant bullies and humiliates Sharon until she agrees to divorce him and leaves to stay with Angie in America.
Sharon returns in March 1995 to hostility from the Mitchells. She is unperturbed and her gutsy behaviour earns her Grant's respect; he realizes he still loves her. Wanting revenge for her mistreatment, she leads Grant on while telling Michelle that she plans to humiliate him publicly. They have sex and Sharon lets Grant think a public marriage proposal will seal their reunion. Grant attempts this on the Vic's quiz night; Sharon is all set to turn him down but suddenly cannot go through with it and stops him from proposing. She confesses that she still loves him, then returns to America alone.
2001–06
In May 2001, Phil and Grant's mother Peggy MitchellPeggy Mitchell
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
(Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor
Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
) sells The Queen Victoria to an anonymous buyer who turns out to be Sharon. Peggy loathes Sharon and regrets selling the pub. Sharon's boyfriend Ross Fletcher (Ché Walker
Ché Walker
Ché Walker is an English actor, playwright, theatre director and teacher at the Identity Drama School.Walker lives in Camden in London and his play The Frontline deals with street life outside Camden Town tube station....
) joins her, claiming he has left his wife, but Sharon discovers he is lying and ends the relationship. With Grant no longer around, Phil and Sharon rekindle their romance. They survive Peggy's attempts to break them up, but when Sharon reveals that she had aborted Grant's baby in 1995 and this has left her infertile, Phil takes the news badly. Knowing Phil would not be content without children of his own, Sharon leaves him.
Sharon brings her mother's body back from America in 2002 for burial. Angie's death of liver poisoning, affects Sharon badly; she rebuffs Phil's attempts to reunite and instead starts a relationship with her old school friend, Tom Banks
Tom Banks (EastEnders)
Tom Banks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Colm Ó Maonlaí. Introduced in April 2002 as a love interest for Sharon Watts, producers made the decision to axe the character and he was killed-off in November 2002...
(Colm O'Maonlai). The relationship survives the arrival of Tom's psychotic wife Sadie (Isobel Middleton), who constantly attempts to break them up. Sadie spreads lies about Tom, then breaks into Sharon's flat and holds her hostage, threatening to kill herself if Tom does not take her back. Tom and Sharon manage to stop Sadie and she is hospitalized. Sharon sells her share of the Vic to the Mitchells in September 2002 and she and Tom purchase a club, naming it "Angie's Den." Soon after, Tom is diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. Sharon stands by him; they plan to marry and go travelling, but on the night of their engagement party, Tom is killed in an explosion after ran into a burning house to save Little Mo
Little Mo Mitchell
Maureen "Little Mo" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Kacey Ainsworth.-Storylines:...
and Trevor Morgan
Trevor Morgan (EastEnders)
Trevor Morgan is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Alex Ferns. He first appeared in December 2000, and became a regular cast member the following summer, after moving into Albert Square with his wife Little Mo Slater .-Storylines:Trevor is introduced as the abusive...
(Kacey Ainsworth
Kacey Ainsworth
Kacey Ainsworth is an English actress, best known for playing the long-suffering Little Mo in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Life and career:Kacey Ainsworth, is the only soap actress who has won three Soap Actress awards in one single year in 2002...
and Alex Ferns
Alex Ferns
Alexander "Alex" Ferns is a Scottish actor and television personality, best known for his EastEnders role as Trevor Morgan, "Britain's most-hated soap villain."...
). Sharon goes through a tough period of grief.
Early in 2003, Sharon and Den's youngest daughter Vicki
Vicki Fowler
Victoria Louise "Vicki" Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Emma Herry from the character's birth in 1986 to 1988, Samantha Leigh Martin from 1988 to 1995, and Scarlett Johnson from 2003 to 2004. The character was born in the serial, conceived in a...
(Scarlett Johnson
Scarlett Johnson
Scarlett Johnson also known as Scarlett Alice Johnson is a British actress.Johnson attended Highgate Wood School and Performing Arts College where she was spotted by an agent in a production of Guys and Dolls in which she played the lead.The role of Vicki Fowler on the BBC's flagship soap opera...
) discover that Den had an estranged son, Dennis Rickman
Dennis Rickman
Dennis Rickman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nigel Harman. He entered the show on 14 April 2003 and made his last appearance on 30 December 2005, when he was fatally stabbed as the midnight fireworks began. He is part of the Watts family, though his...
(Nigel Harman
Nigel Harman
Nigel Derek Harman is an English actor, most famous for his role as Dennis Rickman in the UK soap opera EastEnders. He has worked extensively in theatre, with the stage being described as his "first love"...
). After making contact, Dennis moves to Walford to live with Sharon. Dennis has links to the same criminal organisation as his father, and after doing some detective work he discovers that Den is still alive; Sharon refuses to believe this.
Meanwhile, Dennis falls in love with Sharon. Despite claiming to see Dennis merely as a brother (and only by adoption, not blood), she has feelings for him too. They have sex in September 2003 but their affair is halted by Den's return. He had survived the shooting 14 years earlier in 1989 and fled to Spain for safety. Sharon had spent years feeling guilty about disowning Den before his supposed demise; she is thrilled to see Den but furious about the unnecessary hurt he caused. Den moves in with Sharon and when he discovers Sharon and Dennis are romantically involved, he blackmails Dennis into ending the relationship. Dennis begrudgingly dates Zoe Slater
Zoe Slater
Zoe Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Ryan. She made her first appearance on the 18 September 2000...
Michelle Ryan
Michelle Ryan
Michelle Claire Ryan is an English actress.She is best known for portraying the role of Zoe Slater on BBC soap opera EastEnders. In 2007, she starred in the short lived American television series Bionic Woman...
), but as 2004 ends, he secretly reuintes with Sharon. The couple plan to move to America on Christmas Day, but then Zoe announces she is pregnant. This is a ruse Den concocts to split-up Sharon and Dennis; Sharon refuses to let Dennis abandon his child and leaves Walford. She returns briefly in February 2005 when summoned by Den's second wife Chrissie
Chrissie Watts
Christine "Chrissie" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tracy-Ann Oberman. She first appeared in April 2004 as the second wife of the show's "most enduring character", Den Watts, becoming a prominent regular for the next 18 months...
(Tracy-Ann Oberman
Tracy-Ann Oberman
Tracy-Ann Oberman is an English television, theatre and radio actress, known for her role as Chrissie Watts in the BBC soap opera Eastenders...
). Chrissie, Zoe, and Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell (EastEnders)
Samantha Margaret Priscilla "Sam" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. The third member of the Mitchell family to be introduced, Sam entered as a 15-year-old school girl in July 1990, played by Danniella Westbrook. Westbrook quit in 1993, but was reintroduced...
(Kim Medcalf
Kim Medcalf
Kim Louise Medcalf is an English actress and occasional singer.She has made occasional appearances as a singer and is best known for playing the character Sam Mitchell in the long running BBC Soap Opera EastEnders from 2002 to 2005....
) confront Den about his deceitful deeds, including Zoe's fake pregnancy. Disgusted, Sharon disowns Den and leaves and Chrissie murders Den, bashing him repeatedly with a cast-iron doorstop. Aided by Zoe and Sam, Chrissie buries Den's body in the Vic's cellar.
Dennis reunites with Sharon in America, and in June 2005 they return to confront Den; Chrissie claims he has left with another woman. Sharon and Dennis marry on 29 August 2005 but, during their reception, Sam Mitchell is arrested after she digs up Den's body to incriminate Chrissie. Sam is charged with Den's murder and her brothers, Phil and Grant, return, determined to exonerate her; they convince Sharon that Chrissie is guilty. After a decade apart, Sharon and Grant are more friendly towards each other and resolve their past grievances. Sam is released after Johnny Allen
Johnny Allen (EastEnders)
Jonathan "Johnny" Allen is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Billy Murray.-Storylines:Johnny Allen was a businessman and retired gangster, who grew up in Walford but moved away to start up an empire of his own which he named J.A. Enterprises...
(Billy Murray
Billy Murray (actor)
Billy Murray is an English actor, best known for playing Don Beech in The Bill from 1995 to 2004, Johnny Allen in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2005 to 2006, Captain John Price in the video games Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare...
) records Chrissie confessing to Den's murder. Chrissie is caught at the airport attempting to flee and Sharon punches her before she is arrested.
Sharon and Dennis enjoy marriage and on Christmas Day 2005, Sharon ia stunned to discover she is pregnant but happiness is fleeting. On New Year's Eve 2005, Dennis gets involved in Phil Mitchell's vendetta against Johnny Allen. Johnny responded to Sharon and Dennis interfering in his relationship with his daughter Ruby
Ruby Allen
Ruby Allen is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Louisa Lytton. Her first appearance was on 18 March 2005 and her last was on 23 November 2006....
(Louisa Lytton
Louisa Lytton
Louisa Lytton is an English actress born in Camden and living in Islington. She rose to fame in 2005 when joining EastEnders as Ruby Allen. After leaving EastEnders in late 2006, Lytton joined The Bill as PC Beth Green, who she played from May 2007 to March 2009. She also appeared on Strictly...
) by throttling Sharon and threatening to kill Dennis unless they leave Walford by midnight on New Year's Eve. Sharon persuades Dennis to leave after confiding in Phil, but Phil tells Dennis who responds by beating Johnny. Johnny calls Danny Moon
Danny Moon
Daniel "Danny" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Maskall. He made his first appearance on 30 December 2004...
(Jake Maskall
Jake Maskall
Jake Maskall is an English television, film and theatre actor.-Career:Jake's most notable role came in the BBC television soap opera EastEnders where he played ladies' man and bad boy Danny Moon. His character first appeared on 30 December 2004 and was driven out of the show by gangster Johnny...
) to kill Dennis; Dennis is stabbed and dies in Sharon's arms. Heartbroken, Sharon refuses to speak, only breaking her silence to ask Phil to avenge Dennis's murder. She breaks down at Dennis's funeral, clawing her face in distress. Concerned for her unborn child, Phil persuades Sharon to move back to America on 13 January 2006. Phil enacts revenge; Johnny is imprisoned after confessing to Dennis's murder and Danny Moon is killed. On 4 July 2006, Pauline Fowler
Pauline Fowler
Pauline Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional London borough of Walford. She was played by actress Wendy Richard between 1985 and 2006. Pauline was created by scriptwriter Tony Holland and producer...
(Wendy Richard
Wendy Richard
Wendy Richard, MBE was an English actress best known for playing Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served? and Pauline Fowler in EastEnders...
) receives news that Sharon has given birth to Dennis Rickman Jr.
Background
Sharon Watts was one of the original twenty-three characters conceived by the creators of EastEnders, Tony HollandTony Holland
Anthony John "Tony" Holland was an English television screenwriter best known as a writer and co-creator of the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Early career:...
and Julia Smith
Julia Smith
Julia Smith was an English television director and producer.- Early career :London-born Smith became involved in television production when she directed the series Suspense in 1962...
. The character of Sharon was originally to be named Tracey and she and her parents were to be the occupants of the soap's local pub, now famously known as The Queen Vic. Holland, who had worked as a barman in his youth, called upon his own personal experiences to invent the Watts family and the pub they lived in. Holland and Smith had always been critical of the way pubs had been portrayed on television feeling they lacked vitality and life, so they were determined that their pub and occupants were going to be more 'real'. The Watts were seen by Holland as integral to the show's success, partly because he had already guessed that the pub was going to be a monstrous battleground where emotions would run high on a regular basis, and also because the occupants would be providing the majority of the drama.
Sharon's original character outline as written by Smith and Holland appeared in an abridged form in their book, EastEnders: The Inside Story
EastEnders books
This is a list of books about or relating to the British soap opera EastEnders.-Non-fiction books:* EastEnders: The Inside Story* Public Secrets: EastEnders and its Audience* EastEnders Special...
. In this passage, Sharon will be referred to as Tracey and her parents as Jack and Pearl (known now as Den and Angie).
Casting
Although the character of Sharon was meant to be 14 old, licensing regulations required the cast actress to be a 16-year-old who could "play down." Holland and Smith were looking for a "bouncy, attractive, oddly vulnerable young woman" who would come across as slightly more sophisticated than the character of Michelle FowlerMichelle Fowler
Michelle Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actress Susan Tully.Although she was one of the brighter people in Walford, that didn't stop Michelle making some huge mistakes during her time in Albert Square...
, due to be Sharon's closest peer. Out of the various applicants they had seen, only actress Letitia Dean
Letitia Dean
Letitia Dean is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Sharon Watts in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, who was one of the serial's original characters. Dean was part of the original cast in 1985 and remained in the series until 1995...
had all of those qualities. As the casting directors were only looking for real East End actors, she falsely claimed that she was born and raised in Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
, east London. The lie paid off and she got the part, clinching the deal because of her laugh, which Holland and Smith have described as "the dirtiest in the world!"
Personality
Described as "slightly spoilt, over-dramatic, blousy, but ultimately kind-hearted", Sharon has been classified by Rupert Smith, author of EastEnders: 20 years in Albert Square, as a "drama queen", a "strong passionate [woman] who [goes] to pieces where men are concerned and always [comes] back for more". Early on in her narrative, Sharon was shown as a mixed-up individual, torn between her warring parents, but spoilt by both; the British press often describe her "Den's princess," an indication of her spoilt upbringing.In 1991, author Hilary Kingsley compared Sharon to her mother Angie: "There's a lot of her mother in Sharon Watts. There is the warm sympathy and the barbed tongue for a kick-off. But Sharon is more sensible than Angie, less likely to fly off the beer handle in The Vic. All the same, she's a sensitive, vulnerable girl who is easily hurt. Even so, that doesn't stop her going after something that she really wants...Sharon came through to become a nice girl behind the streetwise image...with her blonde hair and bright make-up she adds a cheerful touch to drab Albert Square."
Sharon has also been described as a "buxom femme fatale", and one of "life's survivors", who has had "many moments of emotional turmoil".
Early Years
Kelvin Carpenter
Kelvin Carpenter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Paul J. Medford.Kelvin was a bright spark and full of initiative. He opened several businesses in Albert Square and even formed a band. He was a bit of a heartbreaker in EastEnders early years, but he ended up...
(Paul J. Medford
Paul J. Medford
Paul J. Medford is a British actor and performer of Barbadian descent. He is best known for playing the role of Kelvin Carpenter in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from the show's inception in 1985 to 1987...
) to date her. This storyline caused tremendous interest in the UK. It was a fairly daring issue to tackle in the 1980s, as it involved a girl under 16, and it aired at a time when the issue was very prominent in British society. People took sides with the issue and her story became a debate used as a teaching method, both in schools and at home. Many families admitted that as a result, they were discussing such taboo topics opening in their homes for the first time i years, or ever.
Sharon went on to feature in a complicated storyline about the ups and downs of a pop group called The Banned. Their song "Something Outa Nothing," which was performed on-screen in the plot, was released in the real world by actors Letitia Dean and Paul J. Medford
Paul J. Medford
Paul J. Medford is a British actor and performer of Barbadian descent. He is best known for playing the role of Kelvin Carpenter in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from the show's inception in 1985 to 1987...
. It was seen as an interesting and major undertaking in the serial, but one that Holland and Smith felt never entirely worked.
In the early years, Sharon's main storylines depicted the plight of a young woman struggling to find her true identity while growing up in a broken home. When both her onscreen parents had departed the show by early 1989, the writers and producers decided to develop her character more fully and move away from the 'spoilt-princess' image she'd been given initially. Being the only remaining member of the Watts family required Sharon to become more independent and determined; perhaps this was cemented onscreen by the discovery that her adored father had impregnated her best friend Michelle when she was 16. Sharon discovered this in a special two-hander episode written by Tony McHale, which aired in April 1989. The episode returned to a model established by the first Den-and-Angie solo episode, with revelations and major character changes to an important relationship and gave Letitia Dean and Susan Tully
Susan Tully
Susan Tully is an English television producer, director and former actress.Her most prominent television roles to date have been those of single mother Michelle Fowler in the BBC soap opera EastEnders and her pivotal part in early Grange Hill...
(Michelle) the chance to demonstrate how much they had grown as actresses during their 4 years on trhe programme. It was held in high regard by the show's producers, directors, and writers.
Relationship with Phil and Grant Mitchell
Phil Mitchell
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden.Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy...
and Grant Mitchell
Grant Mitchell (EastEnders)
Grant Anthony Mitchell is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Ross Kemp. Grant first appeared in 1990, introduced by producer Michael Ferguson to revamp the show. Kemp remained until 1999 when he opted to leave...
were introduced by Executive Producer Michael Ferguson
Michael Ferguson (director)
Michael Ferguson is a British script writer, television director and television producer. Ferguson has been described as a “long term champion of realistic popular drama”. Ferguson was executive producer of the BBC soap opera, EastEnders between 1989 and 1991...
, as he wanted to bring in a couple of young men who would bring an air of danger to the show. Both the Mitchell brothers would prove to be extremely important for the character of Sharon in the following years, most notably marrying one brother and then having an affair with the other. Despite the fact that Sharon married Grant initially, former EastEnders writer Tony Jordan
Tony Jordan
Tony Jordan is a British television writer. He was listed as the number 1 television screen writer in the UK by Broadcast magazine and among British Broadcastings Top 20 in The Stage ., He currently resides in Hertfordshire, UK.For many years, he was lead writer and series consultant for BBC One...
has revealed in The Mitchells - The Full Story that the love-triangle storyline between Grant, Sharon and Phil had been planned from their introduction after the writers came to the realisation that "Sharon was perfect for them both". This storyline was slow burning and was spread out for several years. Things finally came to a head in 1994 with some of EastEnders most popular and renowned episodes, which have been dubbed "Sharongate
Sharongate
"Sharongate" is the term used for a storyline in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which reached its climax on 24 October 1994, attracting 25.3 million viewers. The plot was written by EastEnders scriptwriter, Tony Jordan. In the storyline, Sharon Mitchell confessed on tape that she had slept with...
".
Walford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
after ten years in the show. Off-screen, Letitia Dean had decided to leave the show to take other acting roles.
Return (2001)
The character was reintroduced to the show in 2001 by then producer John Yorke, almost six years after her initial departure. Her return was voted one of the top 100 TV moments of 2001 in a Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
poll, and was chosen as the favourite soap comeback by almost one third of viewers. Since her return, the character has undergone several character changes and has been central to many key storylines, most notably the return of her infamous father Den Watts
Den Watts
Dennis Alan "Den" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Leslie Grantham. He became well known for his tabloid nickname, "Dirty Den"....
, and her relationship with her adoptive brother Dennis Rickman
Dennis Rickman
Dennis Rickman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nigel Harman. He entered the show on 14 April 2003 and made his last appearance on 30 December 2005, when he was fatally stabbed as the midnight fireworks began. He is part of the Watts family, though his...
, a storyline that was nicknamed "Shannis". Sharon has had several departures and returns since this time and has become one of the longest-running characters in the show's history. She was last seen on-screen in January 2006.
Reception
In 1985, The Sun newspaper branded EastEnders "Too sexy for kids" and suggested it could be a bad influence on children, with Sharon Watts touted as a reason for this. Described as a "teenage temptress" Sharon was criticised for flashing her mini-skirted legs at pub customers and fondling a barman's bottom. Television clean-up campaigner Mary WhitehouseMary Whitehouse
Mary Whitehouse, CBE was a British campaigner against the permissive society particularly as the media portrayed and reflected it...
said, "This show should be X-rated. This kind of thing is just not on. It is an adults-only soap opera. I shudder to think of the embarrassing questions parents face from their children after Sunday [omnibus] afternoon viewing." A BBC spokesperson responded, "It is not our policy to be sexually provocative. It just mirrors real life in the East End of London."
In popular culture
The character of Sharon Rickman has been spoofParody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
ed in the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
sketch show 2DTV
2DTV
2DTV is a British satirical animated television show that was broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom, directed by Tim Searle.2DTV employs the same satirical style as Spitting Image, but using animation rather than puppets. The animation was produced on computer, frequently with animators working up...
. In one sketch she was likened to the Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
Muppet Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002....
, but she is more regularly depicted as someone who is always crying, and says "Oink!" (in a further Miss Piggy reference).
The character has also been spoofed by the Scottish impressionist
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
Ronni Ancona
Ronni Ancona
Ronni Ancona is a Scottish actress, impressionist and author. Ancona won the Best TV Comedy Actress award at the 2003 British Comedy Awards for her work in Big Impression.- Career :...
in BBC's Big Impression
Big Impression
The Big Impression, known as Alistair McGowan's Big Impression for the first three series, is a British comedy sketch show. It features Alistair McGowan and Ronni Ancona impersonating personalities from entertainment and sport...
. Ancona's impression mocked Letita Dean's pronunciation skills, inferring that she pouts a lot and that she looks badly dubbed, as her lips quiver after delivering a line. The episodes featuring Sharon aired on the Christmas day special of the programme, in 2001.
The British celebrity-based magazine heat
Heat (magazine)
Heat is a British entertainment magazine published by German company Bauer Media Group. it is one of the biggest selling magazines in the UK, with a regular circulation over half a million. Its mix of celebrity news, gossip and fashion is primarily aimed at women, although not as directly as in...
regularly mocked the character of Sharon in their television reviews of upcoming EastEnders episodes, often referring to her as "Sharon and her incredible acting eyebrows".
External links
- Letitia Dean, BBC actor profile