Anita Dobson

Anita Dobson was born on 29 April 1949 in Stepney, London, and trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. She is best known to British audiences as the fiery pub landlady Angie Watts in EastEnders, a role she originated when the soap launched in 1985 and played until 1988, returning briefly for a cameo in the show’s 40th anniversary in 2025. Her 1986 single “Anyone Can Fall in Love,” a vocal version of the EastEnders theme, reached number four in the UK singles chart. On stage, she received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress for the National Theatre’s production of Frozen in 2003.

In 2023, Anita joined the Doctor Who family as the mysterious Mrs Flood — later revealed to be a new incarnation of the Rani, one of the Doctor’s most enduring adversaries — appearing in episodes through 2025. She also voiced Eileen Klint in the Big Finish audio drama The Eighth Doctor Adventures: Blood of the Daleks. Anita is married to Queen guitarist Brian May.

(From Wikipedia and the Doctor Who Guide)