Why EastEnders legend Anita Dobson won't be tuning in to the BBC soap this year...
Anita Dobson finds it "hard" to watch 'EastEnders' nowadays because there is so much to catch up on.
Anita Dobson finds it "hard" to watch 'EastEnders' nowadays.
The 75-year-old actress played Angie Watts in the BBC One soap opera from its very first episode in 1985 until 1988 and the Christmas Day episode in 1986 in which her husband Den Watts served her with divorce papers was watched by a record-breaking 30.1 million but no longer watches it because there is just too much to keep up with these days.
She told the Daily Star's HotTV column: "I don't really watch television much at all. It's hard with 'EastEnders' because it turns over so quickly. You have to be constantly catching up.
"I tend to always miss it!"
Anita - who since her time on 'EastEnders' has gone on to have a long career in television but has also appeared in musicals such as 'Wicked' and starred in various pantomimes over the years - added that when it comes to watching TV in general, she prefers series.
She said: "I watch things like series because then you can get your teeth into it. You can watch it when you want to rather than having to keep playing catch up.
Meanwhile, all of the Christmas specials from 'EastEnders' throughout its near-40-year history have been made available on BBC iPlayer and Anita is hopeful that this means a "new generation" will discover the classic years of the soap.
She said: "It would be nice if a new generation of people watched it. They'll be saying 'Is that woman still here?'"
The 'Doctor Who' actress was previously asked about the idea of a comeback to the part of Angie and even though the character died off-screen in 2002, she couldn't really imagine a return in any case.
Speaking on ITV's 'Lorraine', she told stand-in host Louise Minchin: " I love the fact that everybody took the Watts to their hearts. I don't think I could [go back] at my old age, I'm too old now! Everybody nearly has gone!"
