Anita’s Final Curtain Call

After more than half a century in the spotlight, actress Anita Dobson is finally calling time on her pantomime career. The 76-year-old performer, best known as Angie Watts in EastEnders, says she’s ready to take her final bow after decades of festive performances that have delighted generations of theatre fans.

Dobson has long been a fixture of the British stage, appearing in over 20 pantomimes including Snow White, Aladdin, Dick Whittington, and Sleeping Beauty. Her energy, humour, and warmth made her a favourite among families each Christmas, but the star admits the physically demanding shows have become too much.

“I can’t put that crown on again and scream my tits off for 12 shows a week for five weeks,” she told Radio Times. “It’s unseemly, isn’t it? And it’s just too exhausting for a 76-year-old woman.”

The actress insists her decision has nothing to do with money or motivation — it’s simply about knowing when to stop. Having built a long and varied career that spans television, theatre, and dance, she feels content stepping away on her own terms.

Off stage, Anita’s enduring love story with Queen guitarist Sir Brian May has been a defining part of her life. The pair met in the 1980s and married in 2000, with May famously crediting her as the inspiration behind Queen’s anthem I Want It All. Their marriage, now marking its 25th anniversary, remains one of entertainment’s most admired unions.

From her dramatic soap days to her graceful turn on Strictly Come Dancing in 2011, Dobson has proven herself fearless and adaptable. And as she closes this chapter, she does so with dignity and humour — grateful for the applause, but ready to enjoy life without the stage lights.