EastEnders - 25/12/2009 - 11:45 pm Thursday, December 25 on BBC Three HD

Larry Lamb (Actor) .. Archie Mitchell

Born: October 10, 1947 in London

Best Known For: Playing Archie in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born in London in 1943, Lamb joined the oil industry, which resulted in him working in Libya and Canada, where he attended St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. This developed his amateur interest in acting into a professional level, performing at Canada's Stratford Festival in 1975-1976. He returned to the UK, and became a regular cast member, along with Kate O'Mara, in the BBC's North Sea ferry based soap Triangle (1981-83), in which he played Matt Taylor, the ship's Chief Engineer.

Career: Other credits include The New Avengers, The Professionals, Fox, Minder, Get Back, Lovejoy, Get Back, A Touch of Frost, Our Friends in the North, Taggart, Casualty, Kavanagh QC, Spooks, Midsomer Murders and The Bill. Lamb has also appeared in various films including the 1980s hit Buster also starring Phil Collins and Julie Walters, as Peter Chase in Essex Boys and in 1983, had a small speaking role in the blockbuster Superman III. Most recently, Lamb has been seen in Gavin & Stacey playing Gavin's father, Michael Shipman. In 2008, he began playing the part of twisted, manipulative Archie Mitchell in Eastenders.

Quote: "Archie is two characters rolled into one - he is Mr Nice and Mr Nasty!"

Trivia: He is the father of BBC 6 Music disc jockey, Celebrity Scissorhands and Big Brother's Little Brother presenter George Lamb.

Charlie Brooks (Actor) .. Janine Butcher

Born: May 03, 1981 in Ware, Hertfordshire

Best Known For: Playing Janine in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born Charlene Emma Brooks on May 3, 1981, in Ware, Hertfordshire. She moved to Barmouth in Wales when she was a child with her mother Roe, brother Ben and sister Beth. Charlie and her brother went on to live with another family in London for a period when they attended Ravenscourt Theatre School. She began attending Arts Educational when she was 16 and was a student there when she landed the role of Janine Butcher in EastEnders.

Career: Brooks first played the scheming Janine in 1999 and stayed with the role until 2004. After briefly turning up in the soap in April 2008, she returned on a more permanent basis in December 2008. Away from Albert Square, Charlie has appeared in The Bill, London's Burning, Jonathan Creek and The Demon Headmaster. In 2006, she played the title role in Beverley Allitt: Angel of Death. She took part in the Christmas 2011 edition of Strictly Come Dancing, and in 2012, she became the queen of the jungle after winning I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! After taking a break from EastEnders Brooks returned to the soap in April 2013, but left again in March 2014. Away from acting, she has released a best-selling fitness DVD.

Quote: "I have days where I feel super-sexy and days when I feel fat and really ugly."

Trivia: Brooks has won a number of gongs at the British Soap Awards, All About Soap Awards and Inside Soap Awards.

Barbara Windsor (Actor) .. Peggy Mitchell

Born: August 06, 1937 in London

Best Known For: That naughty giggle.

Early-life: Born Barbara-Ann Deeks in London on August 6, 1937, the only child of a dressmaker and a bus driver. Her mum worked extra hours to pay for elocution lessons. As a child, Babs loved singing and dancing and it was during a visit to the theatre with her grandfather that she decided on a showbusiness career, eventually adopting the stage name Barbara Windsor. She won her first stage role at the age of 12 in a London pantomime. In 1952 she got a job in the chorus of Love from Lucy and stayed in the show for two years. A number of minor film roles followed, but she remained largely a stage actress.

Career: Two major film roles in 1962 - Death Trap and Sparrows Can't Sing - resulted in greater recognition, but it wasn't until stage show Fings Ain't What They Used to Be that Windsor found true fame. Her career really took off after her appearance in the comedy film Carry On Spying. Stereotyped as a glamorous dolly bird, she was seen as the ultimate Carry On girl and appeared in nine of the classic movies. In recent years, she has appeared in the long-running soap EastEnders, playing Peggy Mitchell and becoming a genuine soap icon. She left Walford in 2010, and since then has done panto and regularly stood in for Elaine Paige when she's been unavailable to host her Radio 2 show.

Quote: "In my late 40s I found it difficult at casting interviews because people would still think I was as young as I appeared in the Carry Ons."

Trivia: Windsor voiced the Dormouse in Tim Burton's film version of Alice in Wonderland.

Steve McFadden (Actor) .. Phil Mitchell

Born: March 20, 1959 in London

Best Known For: Playing Phil Mitchell.

Early-life: Born Steve Robert Reid on March 20, 1959, in London. His parents split up when he was two, and he took his stepfather's surname, McFadden. He admits to not being particularly academic and after leaving school, he worked as a builder's labourer, but eventually decided he wanted to do something he found more fulfilling. He got a job working with blind people, and went back to college to study for his A-levels. He won a place studying economics at university, but dropped out after seven weeks when he realised he wanted to be an actor.

Career: After graduating from Rada in 1987, he made his screen debut in TV film The Firm. He followed this with small roles in the movie Buster and TV series The Bill and Bergerac, before joining the cast of EastEnders as Phil Mitchell in 1990. Along with his on-screen brother Ross Kemp, he made a huge impression on soap fans, and quickly became a household name. Away from EastEnders, he's appeared in Murder in Mind, Kevin & Perry Go Large, and a number of pantomimes. He took a break from Walford in 2003 but returned in 2005; he's remained there ever since.

Quote: On some of his less plausible storylines: "It's the writers' job to throw stuff at you and it's your job to go 'watch this, I will make it work.'"

Trivia: McFadden supports Manchester United and is a keen sailor.

Samantha Womack (Actor) .. Ronnie Mitchell

Born: November 02, 1972 in Brighton

Best Known For: Playing Ronnie in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born Samantha Zoe Janus on November 2, 1972, in Brighton. Her aunt is George Best's ex-wife Angie, which makes their son, Calum, her cousin. Samantha's parents split when she was three, and her mother married a doctor before relocating to Edinburgh. She even lived on the QE2 with her grandmother for a short time. During her teens, Samantha claims she became a wild child, but eventually turned things around by attending the Sylvia Young Theatre School.

Career: Samantha's first taste of fame came at 18 when she represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest, eventually finishing joint 10th. But it's as an actress that she's now best known. She enjoyed success with sitcom Game On in the mid-1990s before appearing in The Grimleys, Up 'n' Under and Babes in the Wood. A successful run in a West End production of Guys and Dolls came just before she joined EastEnders in 2007. After being involved in a number of major storylines, she took a break from the soap in 2011. She went on to perform in a stage tour of South Pacific, and was also a subject of Who Do You Think You Are? In May 2013, it was confirmed that Samantha would return to EastEnders on a six-month contract.

Quote: "I'm a jobbing actor again, and that's quite scary. I feel grateful to have had the EastEnders experience but I'm glad to be moving in another direction."

Trivia: In 2005, she directed an anti-bullying music video for Liverpool band Just 3.

Rita Simons (Actor) .. Roxy Mitchell

Born: March 10, 1977 in Essex

Best Known For: Playing Roxy in EastEnders.

Early-life: Rita Joanne Simons was born in Essex on March 10, 1977. She has an older brother, and is the niece of entrepreneur Alan Sugar. Before she was bitten by the acting bug, she was in the band Girls@Play, who released a couple of singles before splitting up. She then joined a different group called Charli.

Career: Simons had roles in Mile High, Dream Team and London's Burning before she made her debut as Roxy Mitchell in Albert Square in 2007 alongside Samantha Womack, who plays her sister Ronnie. One of Rita's twin daughters, Maiya, was diagnosed with hearing loss at six months old and she featured in a BBC documentary with her mother in Rita Simons: My Daughter, Deafness and Me.

Quote: "I don't like who I am when I'm drunk and I don't like being out of control."

Trivia: Simons can speak fluent French and German. She won a National Television Award in 2008.

Scott Maslen (Actor) .. Jack Branning

Best Known For: Playing Jack Branning in EastEnders.

Early-life: Scott Alexander Maslen was born on June 25, 1971 in Woolwich, London. He signed up to join the Royal Marines at 16 but ending up breaking his foot and not getting into the Recruit training course. He visited Miami at 18 and was spotted by photographer Bruce Webber, which started his career as an international model. Five years later, he turned to acting and joined the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Career: After graduating, Maslen landed a role in the TV series Lock, Stock… as well as parts in Highlander: The Raven and the promotional video for Grand Theft Auto 2. He played Phil Hunter in The Bill between 2002 and 2007, before going on to join the cast of EastEnders as Jack Branning. In 2015, Maslen played MP James Holloway in The Royals. He also appeared in the 2010 series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Quote: "In my secondary school, they stuck me in drama because I was a gobby kid and they were like ‘what are we going to do with him?'"

Trivia: He enjoys fishing.

Patsy Palmer (Actor) .. Bianca Jackson

Born: May 26, 1972 in London

Best Known For: Playing the ever-screeching Bianca in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born Julie Anne Harris on May 26, 1972, in Bethnal Green. As a child, she enrolled at the famous Anna Scher Workshop and made early TV appearances in The Bill and Grange Hill. She was forced to change her name to avoid a clash with a Hollywood actress with the same moniker. Palmer is her mother's maiden name. Her brother Harry is married to Lindsay Coulson, who plays her on-screen mother in EastEnders.

Career: After numerous small roles in dramas such as Clarissa and Drop the Dead Donkey, Palmer landed her big break in EastEnders, playing the mouthy Bianca Jackson. She became one of the soap's most popular characters and fans were sorry to see her leave after six years. Palmer then landed roles in TV dramas Love Story, Do or Die and McCready and Daughter, which was her biggest post-Walford success. She also appeared in the period drama He Knew He Was Right, had various stage roles and took part in Strictly Come Dancing. She returned to EastEnders in 2008.

Quote: "You could make a soap about my life. If they did, I'd have to have Ken Loach or Mike Leigh directing it, and there wouldn't be anything glamorous about it, I can tell you that."

Trivia: In 2011, she was a guest on Piers Morgan's Life Stories.

Sid Owen (Actor) .. Ricky Butcher

Born: January 12, 1972 in London

Best Known For: Playing hapless mechanic Ricky Butcher in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born David Sutton on January 12, 1972, in London. His natural talent for acting was discovered at an early age and when he was seven he appeared in a BBC production of Oliver Twist and played Young Ned in the film Revolution.

Career: Owen's big break came in 1988 when he landed the role of Ricky Butcher in EastEnders. He was one of the soap's best-known faces when he left in 2000 to launch a pop career (he returned to the role in 2008 until 2012). Away from Walford, Sid has appeared on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, Shooting Stars, Ready Steady Cook, Top of the Pops, Bad Girls and Blankety Blank, and exercised his vocal chords on Night Fever, Beach Fever and Stars Sing The Beatles. He revealed in 2012 that he had retired from acting. In the same year, he partnered professional dancer Ola Jordan on Strictly Come Dancing. In early 2016, he was a contestant on Channel 4's sporting reality show The Jump.

Quote: "A reporter can ruin your life in a sentence, and you haven't got the power to do anything about it. We do need the tabloids, so if they feel you are interesting enough to write bad things about you, then you've got to take it as a complement. All they want is sex, drugs and rock and roll."

Trivia: Owen ran a restaurant in the Dordogne region of France and wrote a book about his experiences.

Jake Wood (Actor) .. Max Branning

Born: July 12, 1972 in London

Best Known For: Playing devious Max Branning in EastEnders.

Early-life: Jake Dylan Wood was born in Westminster on July 12, 1972. He displayed a love of acting as a child. He trained at The Anna Scher Theatre School and began landing roles while still in his teens.

Career: Wood spent several years as a jobbing actor, receiving decent reviews for a varied selection of roles. His first acting part was in the 1985 film Flesh & Blood. He has since made guest appearances in TV series such as May to December, Only Fools and Horses, Murder in Mind, Sean's Show, Inspector Morse, One Foot in the Grave, Red Dwarf, A Touch of Frost, The Bill, Sea of Souls and Doc Martin. He has also starred on the big screen in Vera Drake (2004) and The Illusionist (2006). He appeared in a few episodes of London's Burning as Kevin Medhurst's delinquent brother's friend and also appeared in Miss Marple mystery They Do It with Mirrors. In 2006, he joined EastEnders, playing tough guy and serial womaniser Max Branning. In 2014, he was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.

Quote: "I knew EastEnders would change my life in terms of the hours I worked and getting recognised, so I did consider it very carefully."

Trivia: He supports Arsenal.

Lacey Turner (Actor) .. Stacey Slater

Born: March 28, 1988 in Barnet

Best Known For: Playing Stacey Slater in EastEnders.

Early-life: Lacey Amelia Turner was born in Barnet on March 28, 1988 to Bev and Les. She has two younger sisters, Lily and Daisy, who is also an actress. Lacey was born close to where EastEnders is filmed. At the age of 10, she began attending the Sylvia Young Theatre School, but left after a year. She would later take dance, singing and acting classes elsewhere after school.

Career: Turner's big break came in 2004 when she landed the role of Stacey Slater in EastEnders. She started on the BBC soap the day after leaving school, and her first spell on the show lasted until 2010. She went on to have roles in Being Human, Bedlam, Switch, Our Girl, and Call the Midwife, before returning full-time to EastEnders in August 2014.

Quote: On EastEnders: "I always dreamt of being on the show and so I can't believe that I've fulfilled my greatest ambition!"

Trivia: Turner has won a number of National Television and British Soap awards.

Charlie Clements (Actor) .. Bradley Branning

Born: June 05, 1987 in Sidcup, London

Best Known For: Playing Bradley in EastEnders

Early-life: Charlie was born in Sidcup, London, on June 5, 1987. As a teenager, he combined studying for his A-levels with working part-time in a supermarket, and gaining performing experience. Charlie played guitar in a band, and also acted in theatre productions. In 2005, he went in front of the camera, winning roles in short film The Car and an episode of The Bill, before bagging the life-changing part of Bradley Branning in EastEnders, aged just 18.

Career: Charlie made his Walford debut in 2006, and soon became on the of the show's most popular young actors. He has won numerous awards during his stint on the soap, including Best Newcomer at the British Soap Awards, while he and co-star Lacey Turner, who plays Bradley's on-off girlfriend Stacey, were voted Best Couple by Inside Soap readers three years running. In 2009, he made his final appearance in a special live edition.

Quote: "The grannies love me - they're my biggest fans."

Trivia: Away from Albert Square, Clements has also appeared in the movie Popcorn and a BBC Three documentary about being ginger.

Gillian Wright (Actor) .. Jean Slater

Diederick Santer (Executive producer)

John Greening (Director)

Simon Ashdown (Writer)

EastEnders: 25/12/2009

11:45 pm - 12:45 am, Thursday, December 25 on BBC Three HD (107)

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25/12/2009
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