EastEnders legend Anita Dobson emotional as she reunites with Letitia Dean

During the next hour, Kemp will engage in conversations with iconic figures from Albert Square, both old and new, such as Anita Dobson, Pam St Clement, Letitia Dean, Gillian Taylforth, and Adam Woodyatt.

In a lovely moment, Dean and Dobson reunite on set for the first time in many years.

Kemp queries the duo about their feelings, and Dobson responds enthusiastically: “I’m absolutely fantastic! I’m incredibly emotional and extremely joyful. She appears stunning, and I adore her deeply.

“Anita was like a second mum to me,” Watts adds.

Dobson continues: “Yes, and she was the baby girl I never had.”

In other works, Taylforth and Woodyatt ponder over the genesis of the Beale clan and how Tony Holland drew motivation from his personal experiences to shape it.

Ian explained that Tony had planned everything meticulously, mapping it out for many years to come. Notably, each character in our group was modeled after a member of Tony’s own family, with Ian representing his nephew.

Tayforth noted some resemblances between her extended family and the Beales, expressing: “Having grown up in a large household – we have four sisters and one brother in my family, all born in Islington. Additionally, on weekends, I would assist my then-boyfriend at his stall located on Chapel Street Market.

40 years of EastEnders action unfolds on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, starting at 8 pm on Monday, February 17th, 2025.