Five Fast Facts About British Soap Star Diane Langton

Diane Langton is a British actress best known for her extensive work in the West End and having played Hollyoaks Nana McQueen for close to a decade. She has also been on rival soap EastEnders.

Along with her work on the British soaps, Langton has appeared in Only Fools and Horses, The Rag Trade, Heartbeat, and Bergerac. From where she was born to her interesting ties to fellow soap queen Barbara Windsor, here are five fast facts about this talented performer.

Who Is Diane Langton?

This theatrical impresario was born on May 31, 1947, in Somerset England. Her stage career was launched in 1968, thanks to her well-received performance in the West End production of Hairspray – a play whose opening night was only made possible thanks to the passing of the Theatres Act 1968, which abolished censorship in the theater.

Co-Creatress
Though primarily known for her work on the stage and in front of film and television cameras, Langton also co-created a very successful – and BAFTA award-winning – ITV musical drama series titled Rock Follies.

Small Town
In 1976, Langton accepted an offer to join the Carry On coterie in their latest offering, Carry on England. The stock company was in desperate need of a new leading lady to take the place of stalwart Barbara Windsor, who had left them the previous year. Decades later, upon joining the cast of EastEnders, Langton saw amongst the cast a familiar face – Barbara Windsor.

Soap Career
Langton’s introduction to the suds world proved to be short-lived, as her EastEnders character – Bev Williams – only appeared intermittently between 19998-1999 following a one-episode cameo in 1990.

However, her second stab at the genre has proven much more successful. Langton first joined Hollyoaks in 2007 and remained there until 2009. A triumphant return occurred in 2012, and she has stuck around ever since.

Getting Personal With Diane Langton

Langton’s first marriage was a rocky one and since the divorce, she has rarely spoken about it publicly except to say that it led to the birth of her son. Marriage number two – with husband Derek James – has been going strong for over 44 years. The still very much in love couple first met while performing in Hair.