Walford legend brands Grantham a "silly boy"

Anita Dobson has branded her former EastEnders co-star Leslie Grantham a "silly boy" over his 2004 internet sex scandal.

The actress, who played Leslie's on-screen wife Angie Watts in the BBC One soap, claimed that his behaviour was "really unfortunate" and "a great pity".

Grantham, better known as Dirty Den Watts, faced controversy following his character's dramatic comeback to the Square. It was revealed that he had performed sex acts in his dressing room and sent sexual images to a 23-year-old over the internet.

"It was his own fault, wasn't it? It was a shame. It was silly and really unfortunate. He was a silly boy," Anita told the Daily Record. "It's a great pity because he has a lovely, lovely wife and three lovely children. I don't know if his marriage is together or if it's split up."

Dobson added that Grantham had wasted the "gift" that had been offered to him by EastEnders producers when he was asked to return.

"It's like Barbara Windsor. You are given this gift of this wonderful part where you, as an older actor, can settle in," she explained. "It becomes like a pension, a benevolent fund. You can tootle along and not keep putting your neck on the block."