The British soap opera. Filled with intriguing and hard-hitting storylines that don't only entertain. These soaps target real issues, trends, and taboos that society tries very hard to sweep under the carpet. But none of those storylines would be possible without the actors who bring them to life.

From party animals to womanizers, marriage wreckers, and overambitious dreamers. The actors bring these controversial characters to life, making the shock revelations, harsh discoveries, and even deaths, captivating. Here we pay homage to some of the best soap actors from Britain who, no matter how long they were in a role, made their mark and made storylines pop.

Jessie Wallace – Kat Slater from EastEnders

Jessie Wallace is famous on British TV for playing party girl Kat Slater in EastEnders. While her character was renowned for her skimpy dressing style and constantly bedding different men, it was revealed that part of the reason for this was an uncle indecently assaulted her.

It was then revealed that this indecent assault resulted in a baby, which just so happened to be her sister Zoe. Wallace also took part in the reality show Strictly Come Dancing and also played the Fairy Godmother in a stage production of Cinderella. In 2020 she was suspended from EastEnders for two months after behaving poorly on set.

Stephanie Davis – Sinead O’Connor from Hollyoaks

What a difference an accent makes. Like the difference between Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor and Hollyoaks character Sinead O'Connor, played by actress Stephanie Davis. She made her first appearance in 2010 as part of the newly added O'Connor family, who came into the show as part of a cast turnover.

She was only in the role for five years and was fired for apparent unacceptable behavior on set. She didn't let that hold her back and continued her stardom in shows like I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and Celebrity Big Brother. She returned to Hollyoaks in 2019 but opted out again and cut ties completely in 2020.

Gemma Merna – Carmel McQueen from Hollyoaks

Gemma Merna is renowned for playing the strong-willed and beautiful Carmel McQueen in Hollyoaks. In a show filled with these kinds of women, she was one of the most popular ones, pulling off the caring by dumb blonde character to the tee from 2006 to 2014.

After the character was killed off in 2014, she moved on to other shows such as The Chase and Virtually Famous. But she eventually traded the film set for the yoga studio and is currently a yoga instructor teaching Vinyasa flow yoga in Liverpool. We last saw her acting in a 2017 episode of Doctors.

Tracy Shaw – Maxine Peacock from Coronation Street

Every British soap must have a party girl character. In Coronation Street, that character was Maxine Peacock. She was played by actress Tracy Shaw and made her debut in 1995 as a hairdresser with a bubbly personality. She also had a pretty hyped-up exit from the show.

While reports suggested that she was leaving due to a salary dispute, she got an iconic ending when her character was killed off by serial killer Richard Hillman, spawning the iconic line "You should have stayed at the party, Maxine." She hasn't been on TV much since having children and was last seen in The Big Quiz 2020: Coronation Street Vs Emmerdale.

Kate McGregor – Emily Kirk from Emmerdale

Sometimes a soap opera just finds the perfect actress to play a character. Like Kate McGregor, whose mannerisms and demeanor perfectly suited that of her character Emily Kirk in Emmerdale. The perennial misfit Kirk was always a side figure in the storylines she was involved in.
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She did have one major story where she married Butch Dingle, her long-time partner. But it was on his death bed after a horrific accident left him on death's door. McGregor appears to have left acting behind now, although she did play the Virgin Mary in The Flint Street Nativity at the Liverpool Playhouse.

Malcolm Hebden – Norris Cole from Coronation Street

If there is one thing that Malcolm Hebden's before and after pictures have in common, it's his bald spot. That's ironic considering he already had the defining feature when he played Mavis Riley's Spanish partner Carlos in 1974. But we guess that 20 years is enough time to make people forget Carlos.

Because in 1994, he came into the show as Norris Cole, playing the character in three stints. He played the character for 19 years in total years, won the Funniest Character twice at the Inside Soap Awards, and won the British Soap Awards for best Best Onscreen Partnership. He eventually retired in 2021.

Laetitia Dean – Sharon Watts from EastEnders

While soap operas often give big breaks to unknown and even small actors, sometimes they break that mold. Like EastEnders did with Laetitia Dean, giving her Sharon Watts's role based on her established performances in Grange Hill and Brookside. She didn't disappoint them either.

She joined as one of the original characters on the show in 1985 and went on to have three stints on the show. In between her stints on EastEnders, she had parts in films like The Hello Girls and the film Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married. She is currently back on EastEnders after returning to the show in 2012.

Julie Goodyear – Bet Lynch from Coronation Street

Julie Goodyear is renowned for paying the leopard print-wearing landlord with the beehive hairstyle Bet Lynch. She became so iconic for the look that Queen singer Freddie Mercury copied it for his part in the video for the song I Want To Break Free.

She first appeared in 1966 but only became a permanent cast member in 1970. She eventually left the soap in 1995, and even though she returned in 2002, she couldn't handle the strenuous schedule and opted to leave the show to pursue less strenuous projects. Those came in the form of Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Fit Club.

Lucy Pargeter – Chas Dingle from Emmerdale

In 2002 Lucy Pargeter got extremely lucky. Having not landed a major role in her career, she earned two in separate soaps in the same year: one on Crossroads and another on Emmerdale. While Crossroads was eventually canceled, she has continued to play Chas Dingle in Emmerdale to this day.

She has been honored with a Best Actress award at the British Soap Awards in 2019. She has also been on a host of celebrity reality shows, including I’m a Celebrity… Get me Out of Here, Soapstar Superstar, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? The award-winning actress was once a member of the Paperdolls, who toured with boyband Boyzone.

Ben Hardy – Peter Beale from EastEnders

Ben Hardy took his soap stardom and used it to break into the Hollywood scene. He had an eventful two-year stint as Peter Beale in EastEnders but left the soap to pursue bigger dreams in Hollywood. It didn't take him long to make his mark on the big screen scene.

Just a year after making his final appearance on EastEnders, he landed a role in the superhero film X-Men: Apocalypse playing the winged mutant Archangel. He then made an even bigger impression and sang many galileos, playing Queen drummer Roger Taylor in the biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. He currently has an upcoming role in the 2021 film The Voyeurs.

Gillian Taylforth – Kathy Beale from EastEnders

In a rare example of acting power, Gillian Taylforth managed to get her character Kathy Beale in EastEnders written back into the story after initially being killed off by showrunners. She initially played the character called Kathy Beale from the inception of the show in 1985 to 1998.

During her time away from the show, she had roles in popular series like Footballer's Wives and The Bill and a host of others. She even had a short role in rival soap Hollyoaks. But she returned to EastEnders in 2015, with her character's mysterious death being explained away as never having happened. She is currently still starring in the soap.

Ellis Hollins – Tom Cunningham from Hollyoaks

We wonder if Ellis Hollins even remembers the first time he was on Hollyoaks. He joined the soap when he was just three years old and played Tom Cunningham. He is a powerful performer who has grown with the role and as an actor over the years.

He also became quite popular with the show's fans, and this popularity has paid off with eight awards he's won. These range from British Soap Awards to Inside Soap Awards. He has also starred in Hollyoaks spin-offs like Hollyoaks Later. He's also been impressing a lot of people with his lean physique in his Instagram feed.

Sheree Murphy – Tricia Dingle from Emmerdale

If you are ever looking for a soap opera legend, then Sheree Murphy is your lady. She is an actress who has had major roles in two of Britain's most popular soaps: playing Eva Strong in Hollyoaks and Tricia Dingle in Emmerdale. She even moved across the world to star in the Australian soap Neighbours.

Her stardom has given her such a profile that she has also featured in celebrity reality shows, finishing second in the 2005 edition of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! She also had participated in Celebrity Masterchef, which in turn opened a door for her to become the host of the BBC cooking Series Yes Chef!

Dawn Acton – Tracy Barlow from Coronation Street

Dawn Acton's character Tracy Barlow was actually born on the show in 1977. In fact, she isn't even the first person to play the character: Tracy has been played by Christabel Finch, Holly Charmarette and is currently being played by Kate Ford. But it was Acton who laid the groundwork for the character to evolve.

She played the character since she was 12 years old, through the teenage years of her life between 1988 and 1999. Some of the major storylines the character dealt with include teenage rebellion and divorce. Acton left the soap at the age of 22 to have a child.

Tina O’Brien – Sarah Platt from Coronation Street

Tina O'Brien is the second person to play the role of Sarah Platt in Coronation Street. The part was previously held by Lynsay King, who opted to leave and pursue her studies. But thankfully, the fresh-faced O'Brien didn't falter and instead made the character stronger.

Some of the character's main plotlines include dealing with the loss of a child and finding one's way in a changing world. She left the soap in 2007 and used the time to star in a pantomime of the Cinderella fairytale and also spent some time in the police drama Blue Murder.
She returned to Corrie in 2015 and resumed her role as Sarah.

Linda Davidson – Mary Smith from EastEnders

Linda Davidson had a short but effective stint on EastEnders as the goth-punk character Mary Smith. Besides over-the-top hair and dark makeup, she also dealt with some pretty dark themes and storylines during her three-year period on the show.

Some of those themes include the female escort industry, unemployment, and drug use. Davidson was seeking more cultured avenues, though, and left EastEnders for a role in a play by actor and playwright Steven Berkoff. While she returned to the soap in 2018 for one of the episodes, she isn't an active actress anymore and works for Discovery Communications to talk about digital disruption.

Beverley Callard – Liz McDonald from Coronation Street

Beverley Callard has made an impression with every character she has played. While she is most famous for playing Liz McDonald in Coronation Street, she is also well-loved and known for playing Flo Henshaw in the sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.

She was last featured in the 2020 edition of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! but has since given up on acting, citing her struggles with clinical depression. She has become a popular fitness instructor, though, releasing a host of books and videos while also at one point maintaining a fitness column in the Daily Mirror newspaper.

Steven Arnold – Ashley Peacock from Coronation Street

Steve Arnold joined the Coronation Street cast in 1995 as the local butcher Ashley Peacock. He became quite a popular character on the show and was even nominated for the Most Popular Actor award at the National Television Awards in 1999.

He eventually left the soap in 2010, but the character was given a pretty respectable send-off. He was killed off on the 50th-anniversary episode, dying in an explosion at the local bar called The Joinery. He has quite a few projects in the pipeline, including the 2021 mini-series called The Book.

William Roache – Ken Barlow from Coronation Street

William Roache is a British TV legend renowned for holding the world record as the longest-standing male actor to play one character in a TV show. He earned this as one of the original cast members from Coronation Street, dating back to the '60s.

The record was set after American Soap As The World Turns was canceled, resulting in its longest-standing cast member, Don Hastings, being unable to play his character any longer. For his longevity, Roache received an MBE in 2001 and is still active on Coronation Street. He also played himself in a TV movie called Saturday Knight Takeaway.

Pam St Clement – Pat Butcher from EastEnders

In an effort to add a tougher element to its female cast, EastEnders showrunners decided to create a character who represents the harder elements of the British female community. This is why they introduced Pat Butcher to the story. Pat St. Clement was the best option for the role.

They weren't 100% sure the character would work, so they gave her a three-episode trial. She is ended up playing the character for 25 years. Despite the character's popularity, she was killed off in 2012. St. Clement hasn't had much going on since then, with her last appearance being on a 2020 episode of breakfast show This Morning.

June Brown – Dot Cotton from EastEnders

June Brown may seem like just another run-of-the-mill old-school soap actress. But she is, in fact, an award-winning actress who played the role of Dot Cotton on EastEnders for 31 years, until she retired in 2020.

She would have been on the show for 35 years had she not left the soap for four years. She's won three British Soap Awards, Inside Soap Award, and one TV Choice and TV Quick Award, and was also awarded an MBE. Her other acting roles include a role in the 1985 film Oliver Twist and 1997 comedy Bean. She was last featured in a 2020 documentary called Soho Is.

Peter Dean – Jeff Bateman from Coronation Street

For all of his acting talent, Peter Dean is a fast mouth who has gotten into trouble for oversharing his thoughts on more than one occasion. In fact, he was sacked from EastEnders for irreconcilable differences in 1993 and burned that bridge by sharing secrets and criticizing the cast in a magazine interview.

Work has since been hard to find for him, although he can always look back on his run with his roles in films like The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. He also played a key character named Jeff Bateman for a short stint on Coronation Street and was last featured on a podcast called The Bill Podcast.

Deena Payne – Viv Hope from Emmerdale

Deena Payne may be famous for her role in Emmerdale playing Viv Hope, but she also has other talents. One of those is singing, and she put it to use in an all-girl group called Cats U.K. and Rock Follies of ’77.

She played Viv Hope for 18 years and was part of a notable storyline where the character was sent to prison for fraud in 2007. This was, in fact, a ploy so that Payne could take an extensive break after not having one for years. They wrote the character out due to the writers feeling she'd run her course. She was last featured in the series called Doctors.

Adam Woodyatt – Ian Beale from EastEnders

Of all the people who featured on EastEnders' first episode, only two are still currently on the show. One of them is Jane Slaughter, and the other is Adam Woodyatt. He has been playing Ian Beale for the last 36 years, starting as Kathy and Pete Beale's teenage son.

Besides being on since the very beginning, he also holds the record for being the most married character on the show, having done so six times to five women. He also spent the last 36 years as one of the five characters people love to hate. He has been on an extended break since August 2020.

Stephen McGann – Sean Reynolds from Emmerdale

Stephen McGann is actually more famous for his role in the medical drama Call The Midwife playing Doctor Patrick Turner. While he is still playing that iconic character, he also had a significant role in Emmerdale. There he played the polarizing Sean Reynolds, who became an instant hit when he started a rivalry with Chris Tate.

He is more than just an actor and obtained a master's degree in Science Communication. This means he is qualified to explain complicated scientific theories in simple terms to regular people. He was also one of the few characters in Emmerdale who left peacefully instead of being killed off.

Simon Gregson – Steve McDonald from Coronation Street

Simon Gregson got his big Coronation Street break when he and a few classmates were given the opportunity to audition for the roles of twins Steve and Andy McDonald. He was 15 and still in school when this happened and landed the role alongside Nicholas Cochrane.

He proved his worth in the role and achieved several accolades, including the Best Comedy Performance award at the 2014 British Soap Awards and the Best Soap Actor award at the 2009 TV Quick Award. His last award was the Legends of Industry Award for Television Acting in 2017. In February 2021, he participated in a show called Catchphrase Celebrity special.

Lucy Benjamin – Lisa Fowler from EastEnders

Lucy Benjamin had one job when she joined EastEnders. That job was to make the character Lisa Fowler into a blonde-haired marriage wrecker. She did an excellent job, even though she only played the role sporadically between 1998 to 2020. She was always involved in memorable storylines.

When she wasn't on EastEnders she participated in The X Factor: Battle of the Stars and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. She also had a role in medical drama Casualty and returned as a regular on EastEnders in 2019, but eventually opted out in 2020. She has a role in an upcoming 2021 film called Game of Two Halves.

Tom Watt – Lofty Holloway from EastEnders

Like serial killers and party animals, every soap opera needs a good happy-go-lucky bartender. This is what Tom Watts was brought in for when he starred in the first episode and what he delivered on. He only played the character for three years, leaving the show in 1988.

Acting isn't his only thing either. He was the Ghostwriter of David Beckham's autobiography My Side, which won a special prize at the British Book Awards. She's also written several other soccer-related books and maintained a column for the observer for years. He also hosts a radio show called Fighting Talk and has had documentaries featured on BT Sports.

Helen Worth – Gail Platt from Coronation Street

Helen Worth is currently the third longest-serving member of the Coronation Street cast, having been there for 47 years. She started playing matriarch Gail Platt in 1974 and is still going strong in the role today. She has been awarded for her performances too.

She was awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards for her longevity. She also shares the unofficial award for being the most married character on the soap with Simon Gregson's Steve McDonald character. She is also well-known for being a part of some of the soap's most controversial storylines, including marrying a serial killer.

Wendi Peters – Cilla Battersby-Brown from Coronation Street

Wendi Peters gained her dramatic chop working the theater scene. She put those drama skills to good effect, gaining fame for playing Cilla Battersby-Brown. She was renowned for perfectly playing the mother from hell role and even featured in the special Coronation Street: Out of Africa.

In it, she went on holiday to Sun City in South Africa with her children. But in a side scheme, she wanted to enter and win a £500K ($692K) grand prize for a competition. She left the show in 2007 but returned for a short period in 2014. She has an upcoming role in a film called Swim.

John Altman – Nick Cotton from EastEnders

John Altman is famous for playing Nick Cotton, who in turn is famous for committing the first murder on EastEnders. The character was by no means a regular, but that start was just a taste of what the character would bring to the show.

In an ironic twist, the character was killed off on the 30th-anniversary episode, in the same spot he purported the original murder. He had some decent roles in respected films like Birth of The Beatles, and in 2010 he became the vocalist for the band Heavy Metal Kids. He has a role in a 2021 video short called Looking for the Love of My Life.

Anita Dobson – Angie Watts from EastEnders

Anita Dobson and her husband, Queen guitarist Brian May, have two things in common: Both have had hit songs on the UK Singles Chart, and both are renowned for their big heads of shaggy hair. The one thing that sets them apart is that Dobson actually landed a role on EastEnders with her hair.

She played Angie Watts in the soap opera from 1985 to 1988. The stint was short, and the character had alcohol issues, which conveniently killed her off the show. She recently featured in a 2021 episode of Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.

Shirley Cheriton – Debbie Wilkins from EastEnders

Shirley Cheriton gained a foothold in her career when she started playing Debbie Wilkins a few episodes into the soap's first year. She played the ambitious and somewhat pretentious Debbie Wilkins to a tee, although her stint was a short one, lasting from 1985 to 1987.

Before her time on the soap, she played shows like Are You Being Served? and its spinoff Grace & Favour. After leaving EastEnders, she landed acting roles, including one in a show called M.I.T: Murder Investigation Team and on another project by EastEnders creator Julia Smith called Angel. Her last known acting role was in a TV series called FM.

Ryan Thomas – Jason Grimshaw from Coronation Street

Ryan Thomas might be what's known as a pretty boy. He is so pretty, in fact, that he was perfect for the role of the womanizing Jason Grimshaw in Coronation Street. Most of his storylines revolved around him bedding various female characters, and he even became a male symbol.

But he either got bored of or outgrew those stories and left the soap, saying he wanted different experiences. He then landed another pretty-boy role as Prince Charming in a Cinderella Pantomime and also entered Celebrity Big Big Brother in 2018, which he won. But that wasn't fulfilling, and in 2021 he quit acting, saying he'd lost interest in it.

Emily Symons – Louise Appleton from Emmerdale

The truth is that Emily Symons isn't even best known for her role as Louise Appleton in Emmerdale. Instead, she made her biggest impact in her native Australia, where she starred as the conniving Anne Costello in Richmond Hill and Later on as Marilyn Chambers-Fisher in the soap Home and Away.

But her star appeal made her a hot choice for any soap opera, and when she left Home and Away after ten years, she was almost instantly cast in Emmerdale. She stayed long enough to participate in Dancing on Ice in 2007 before moving back to Australia and Home and Away, where she still currently stars.

Jack Ryder – Jamie Mitchell from EastEnders

Jack Ryder may confuse you if you Google his name. This is because there was a famous Australian cricket player with the same name. But he is more renowned for his role as Jamie Mitchell in EastEnders than for bowling yorkers and hitting sixes.

He played the character from 1998 to 2002 but only really found his true calling after leaving the soap. He participated in Celebrity Big Brother and also won on Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes, performing as Justin Timberlake. He also dabbled in theater in The Play What I Wrote by Kenneth Branagh and in 2020 wrote and directed a short film called Jack's Secret Summer.

Bruce Jones – Les Battersby from Coronation Street

It's such a shame the way Bruce Jones's life turned out. He had it going good for ten years playing the outspoken taxi driver Les Battersby in Coronation Street. He played the role from 1997 to 2007, and in the same year, he started the role he had a small part in the hit film The Full Monty.

After leaving Corrie, he still proved popular landing roles in the reality show Celebrity Wife Swap and switching to stand-up comedy. But then reports surfaced about him losing two houses and living on benefits in 2015. But he does have a role in a film called Dark Ditties Presents 'Stained'.

Susan Tully – Michelle Fowler from EastEnders

Susan Tully is a talented actress. She evolved from a rebellious teen in the drama series Grange Hill named Suzanne Ross to a strong and loving single mother in the soap EastEnders. In fact, she was so popular on the soap that she ended up staying for 10 years, from the first-ever episode.

But she moved on from acting to directing after leaving the popular soap and even sat in the high chair for an episode of it. She also directed a film called The Story of Tracy Beaker, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, and her last project, Strike Lethal White, in 2020.

Eileen Derbyshire – Emily Bishop from Coronation Street

While William Roache is renowned as the person with the record for the longest-standing actor in a single role, Eileen Derbyshire is just behind him in second place. When she retired from playing Emily Bishop on Coronation Street in 2016, she had been in the role for 55 years.

This makes her the longest-standing actress in a British soap, and she received an MBE in 2010 for her long acting career. She was also part of some juicy storylines, including one where her inability to bear children caused her marriage trouble. She is however the mother of well-known British sports journalist Oliver Holt.

Barbara Knox – Rita Tanner from Coronation Street

Barbara Knox must've made one hell of an impression when she first appeared in Coronation Street. She played Rita Tanner and was only supposed to have a cameo role in an episode in 1964. But she made the character so endearing that they kept bringing her back and eventually made her permanent in 1972.

She is currently regarded as the longest-serving active television soap opera actress globally and is third behind Eileen Derbyshire and William Roache. She has also won many awards, including a TV Times Award for best actress and a British soap award for Best On-Screen Partnership. This goes with her British Soap Award for Lifetime Achievement.