EastEnders has embarked on its highly anticipated 40th anniversary festivities, set to culminate in an unmissable live episode this Thursday, 20 February. At the heart of the celebrations is beloved character Denise Fox, portrayed by Diane Parish. Viewers will decide the fate of Denise’s love life as they vote on whether she should be with Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), or Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara). Diane has expressed her gratitude, calling the live episode a “blessing” and praising the show’s team for their masterful handling of Denise’s storyline in recent years. Diane said: “It’s a blessing. I’ve been blessed throughout my time in EastEnders, particularly in the last few years. I think Chris Clenshaw understands Denise better than anybody, and he’s gifted me with the most exciting two years of my time on the show to date. I’m really grateful to the story team who created these ideas for Denise.”
Diane has been a regular on our TV screens for decades
(Image: Getty)
A talented and versatile actress, Diane is not only synonymous with her role as Denise Fox but has also left her mark on various other TV shows, including Lovejoy, The Bill, Casualty, Holby City and Clocking Off. She is an accomplished alumna of the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. While Diane prefers to keep her personal life private, occasional glimpses have revealed a loving mother to two daughters, Kaya and Kenya, with her ex-partner, IT specialist Sebastian Parish. Back in 2018, Diane gave the Loose Women audience a rare glimpse into her personal life when she discussed her separation from Sebastian. She admitted to keeping mum about the split for the sake of her daughters’ privacy, reports Plymouth Live. Opening up to the panelists, she shared: “The last time I was here, I sort of got a bit ambushed with [questions about marriage] and, for the sake of my children, I didn’t want to go into the break up with me and their father, and I’m usually quite a private person.”
Diane is close with her EE co-stars
(Image: Instagram)
Despite the past heartache, Diane found love again with Gerry Zucarello, whom she met in 2017. The pair got engaged in 2018, but it wasn’t until two years later that the news went public, much to their surprise, as they were suddenly flooded with well-wishes. Diane’s Instagram is predominantly a showcase for her work, peppered with delightful snaps alongside her EastEnders castmates, hinting at the strong bonds she shares with them. EastEnders airs Monday – Thursday on BBC One at 7.30pm. Episodes are also released on iPlayer at 6am.
