EastEnders star Leslie 'Dirty Den' Grantham dies

EastEnders star Leslie Grantham has died at the age of 71.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jun 2018, 15:04 BST
Updated 19th Jun 2018, 18:08 BST
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The actor, best known as rogue "Dirty Den” in the BBC One soap, had been ill and had been receiving treatment in hospital.

The star was best known for his on-screen partnership with actress Anita Dobson who played his long-suffering wife Angie in EastEnders.

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He featured in EastEnders as Queen Vic landlord Den Watts from 1985 to 1989 and later returned to his signature role from 2003 to 2005.

Leslie Grantham.Leslie Grantham.
Leslie Grantham.

In 1986, a Christmas Day episode in which his character handed divorce papers to wife Angie, was watched by 30 million people.

Before finding fame, in 1966 he was convicted of murdering a German taxi driver while serving as a soldier and in 2004 he was revealed to have taken part in sordid webcam sex sessions from his EastEnders dressing room.

A statement from his agent said he died on Friday morning and that a private funeral would be held.