EastEnders spoilers follow.
EastEnders has cast comedian and actor Ronni Ancona, best known for The Big Impression and Last Tango in Halifax, as a mysterious new character in an upcoming storyline for Linda Carter that will kick off in the New Year.
Ancona, who has been in the game for over 30 years now, famously impersonated Peggy Mitchell, Kat Slater and Sharon Watts among others. But now she’s getting her own EastEnders role in the form of Bea.
Bea (no surname given yet, which is intriguing) will be introduced at Linda’s high school reunion, although the two women will have very different accounts of what it was like back in the day.
It looks like Bea is set to head to Walford, where she will be at the centre of a whole host of drama as her backstory is revealed. “She is sure to leave a lasting impression on all those she encounters,” the show states.
Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron//BBC
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Ancona said: “I am honoured to have been invited to join the iconic institution that is EastEnders, and to go on this whirlwind of a journey with such an unpredictable, nuanced and complex character as Bea.
“I hope audiences have as much fun watching her as I have had bringing her to life.”
“I’m delighted to welcome the immensely talented Ronni Ancona to EastEnders playing the character of Bea,” soap boss Ben Wadey added. “Bea’s character is mysterious, and we’re thrilled to have an esteemed actress and comedian like Ronni playing her.”
BBC
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Fans won’t have too long to see Bea’s first scenes, as Ancona has already started filming and the school reunion is set for early 2026 (although we haven’t got exact dates yet, sorry!).
Speaking of a different EastEnders Ronnie, Roxy Mitchell actor Rita Simons recently teased the possibility of working with her former on-screen sister Samantha Janus again.
EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
Read more EastEnders spoilers on our dedicated homepage
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