EastEnders: We track down the soap stars who left Walford - Mirror Online
EastEnders: We track down the soap stars who left Walford
Mary the punk, Ali from the caff, Debbie the yuppie.
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Mary the punk, Ali from the caff, Debbie the yuppie... when EastEnders first hit our screens exactly 25 years ago, they were some of the most famous faces in Britain.
But while some of the original residents of Albert Square are still TV regulars today, others disappeared into obscurity. As the soap prepares to celebrate its landmark anniversary, we tracked down some of the original EastEnders...
1 Ali & Sue Osman
Gambling addict cafe owner Ali was one of the key characters in the early days, at the heart of groundbreaking storylines about cot death and mental illness.
He left after five years, but today actor Nejdet Salih says he is still typecast, and struggles to get new roles.
Answering the door in his pyjamas at lunchtime last week he said: "I have had to live with Ali for 25 years. I'm just trying to get on with my life. I don't give interviews. I am still acting but it is hard when to everyone I'm still Ali from the cafe."
Salih, 53, who lives in Palmers Green, North London, and drives an ageing BMW, even uses a different name - Nej Adamson - in a bid to escape his EastEnders past. The tactic worked when he landed small roles in two Pirates of the Caribbean movies, but at one stage he resorted to playing a spoof version of his original character on the comedy show Bo' Selecta. Actress Sandy Ratcliff's life after leaving her role as Sue in 1989 reads like an Albert Square plotline.
After struggling with heroin addiction, she played a starring role at the 1991 Old Bailey trial of her ex Michael Shorey, claiming they were making love at the time he was accused of killing two young women. He was jailed for life for murder.
She now ekes out a living doing part time jobs and lives in a run-down ground floor flat on a busy road in North London with her partner. Barely recognisable as the onetime model hailed as "the face of the 70s", neighbours were stunned to learn of her glittering showbiz past.
One said: "You'd never think she was once a famous actress. I wouldn't have thought someone who was a star in East-Enders would choose to live here."
2 Mary the punk
She may not be on TV any more, but Linda Davidson - who played punk Mary Smith for three years - is one of the most successful ex-EastEnders.
The 45-year-old quit acting a decade ago and became a web consultant for TV firms. Married with a young family, she lives in a £1million house in Dulwich Village, South London.
A friend said: "EastEnders is ancient history for her. She doesn't got to reunions. She's got a new life and it's a world away from Mary the punk's."
However, she did make a rare public appearance at former colleague Wendy Richard's funeral last year.
3 Yuppie Debbie
Blonde Shirley Cheriton, 54, played yuppie Debbie Wilkins and in real life left her husband for her on-screen love interest Andy O'Brien, who was played by the late Ross Davidson.
She now lives in a semi-detached house in Sutton, Surrey, drives a grey hatchback and still makes the occasional TV appearance, including a small role in ITV comedy FM last year.
A neighbour said last week: "I'm not sure what she does for work to be honest." Cheriton has two children, a son Mark, 26, and a younger son of school age.
4 Tony Carpenter
One of the first black characters in the soap, builder Tony's most sensational storyline was a secret affair with original Queen Vic landlady Angie Watts.
Actor Oscar James, 67, has carved out a successful career since leaving the soap in 1987, and does not like to dwell on his soap days.
Speaking at the immaculate Kilburn flat they share, his partner said last week: "It was such a long time ago that he doesn't like to talk about it.
"To him it was just a role and he has done so much since. He has made some films and done some wonderful plays. He still gets excited by every role and had no idea when he took the part in EastEnders it would follow him.
"He doesn't watch the show anymore apart from maybe when I have it on but it has changed so much since his day. I'm not sure it even registered with him it was the 25-year anniversary. It's not something he'll be celebrating."
James has had parts in London's Burning as well as Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory alongside Johnny Depp plus roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
5 Kelvin Carpenter
Tony's screen son was played by Paul J Medford who now lives in the US. He has had a successful stage career with parts in numerous West End musicals, including a long stage run in the hit show Five Guys Named Moe as well as a part in The Lion King. In 1995 he received the Society of Black Arts Achievement Award.
Although he is now based abroad, a former neighbour revealed that Medford is still a fan of the soap which gave him his big break and stays in touch with what is going on Walford through family and the internet.
His agent repeatedly refused requests for an interview.
6 Pete Beale
After appearing in the very first episode, actor Peter Dean starred for eight years as the market trader - Pauline Fowler's brother and Ian Beale's dad.
At the height of his fame he raked in cash for opening supermarkets and appearing in panto, but he now lives in a tatty flat in North London.
Since leaving the show he has been spotted working as a security guard but now he helps out at a second-hand furniture yard in Stoke Newington and spends his cash on racing greyhounds.
Now 70, he also acts as a carer for friends and ferries them to hospital appointments and picks up shopping for them. Divorced, he has a grown-up daughter.
7 Simon Wicks
Nick Berry went on to star as policeman Nick Rowan in Heartbeat for six years until 1998. He now runs his own firm Valentine Productions.
8 Andy O'Brien
After leaving EastEnders, actor Ross Davidson appeared in Hollyoaks, Take The High Road and Brookside.
Tragically he died of a brain tumour in 2006.
His wife Barbara Black said: "He was a great husband, great father and great son.
Ross kept smiling until the bitter end."
9 Michelle Fowler
Actress Susan Tully has turned down a string of requests to return to the show, instead pursuing a successful career behind the camera, directing episodes of London's Burning, The Bill, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Silent Witness - and EastEnders.
10 Lofty Holloway
Tom Watt is now a successful sports broadcaster and writer. Since leaving Albert Square in 1988, he has presented shows on Channel 4, Radio 1, Radio 3, Radio 5 Live and talk-SPORT.
He was also the ghost writer for the David Beckham autobiography My Side.
11 Arthur Fowler
Actor Bill Treacher was shocked Arthur was killed off in 1996 because "you never know, you might need to come back and earn a few grand". He's since appeared in films The Musketeer, Tale of the Mummy and George the Dragon, plus The Bill and Casualty.
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