Diane Langton

Diane Shirley Maria Langton (31 May 1944[ note 1] – 15 January 2025) was a British actress, singer and dancer whose career on stage and screen spanned six decades. After beginning her career in theatre, she went on to appear in television shows, portraying roles such as Kathy Roberts in The Rag Trade and June Snell in Only Fools and Horses, Ruby Rowan in Heartbeat and Bev Williams in EastEnders. Her most notable role, however, was her portrayal of Marlena "Nana" McQueen in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, which she played sporadically between 2007 to 2009 and from 2012 until her death.

Diane Shirley Maria Langton was born on 31 May 1944 in Cranmore, Somerset, and grew up in Fulham, London. She was the daughter of William Langton, a merchant seaman, and his wife Bridie (née Monahan). Langton began her career as a dancer with several ballet companies on European tours, and trained at the Corona Academy in Hammersmith.

Langton's first credited role was as a schoolgirl in the comedy film Carry On Teacher, she subsequently embarked on her career in theatre, starting with an appearance in the musical Hair in 1968. She played Private Alice Easy in the 1976 film Carry On England. She went on to appear in television shows throughout the 1970's, most notably her role in The Rag Trade as Kathy Roberts in 1975, and again from 1977 to 1978. She appeared in various West End musicals, including A Chorus Line, A Little Night Music, Chicago and Mary Poppins. In September 1979, Langton's debut solo single, "Climbin'", was released on vinyl via Pye Records. In 1982, she appeared in the Royal Variety Performance, performing a song from Show Boat.

Langton appeared in The Green Tie on the Little Yellow Dog, which was recorded in 1982, and broadcast by Channel 4 in 1983. Between 1985 and 1986, she appeared in Only Fools and Horses as June Snell, a former girlfriend of Del Boy. In 1987, she created the role of Angel in Kander & Ebb's The Rink at the Forum Theatre in Manchester, a role which she reprised in the 1988 West End transfer. She returned to the musical in 2004, at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, this time playing the role of Angel's mother, Anna.[ 11] Her other notable television appearances included Alas Smith and Jones, Bergerac, Minder, Carry On Laughing and The Bill.[ 12] [ 13] [ 14]

Between 1995 and 1997, Langton appeared in Heartbeat as Ruby Rowan, Nick Berry's character's mother, and as a prostitute in an episode of Joking Apart.[ 12] [ 15] [ 13] Between 1998 and 1999, she appeared in EastEnders as Cindy Beale's (Michelle Collins) mother, Bev Williams. She also appeared in the London cast of Billy Elliot as Grandma and fronted her own one woman show Let There Be Langton.[ 16] [ 17] In 2007, she began portraying the role of Marlena "Nana" McQueen on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, a role she played sporadically over the next seventeen years, making her final appearance on 30 December 2024.[ 13]

Langton was married twice. Her first marriage to Alan Cooper in 1963, a painter and decorator, subsequently ended in divorce. Together they had a son, Jamie (born 1964). In 1976, Langton married Derek James, whom she met whilst performing in a national tour of the musical Hair.

Langton died from kidney disease on 15 January 2025, at the age of 80. [ 16] Tributes were paid to her from the Hollyoaks social media accounts who described Langton as an "immense talent" who would be "[missed] enormously" by the show's cast and crew.[ 18] Several of her co-stars also paid tribute including Chelsee Healey, Anna Passey, and James Sutton, the latter of whom said his "heart was broken" and thanked Langton for her "love, kindness, generosity, warmth, friendship, humour and care".[ 19] [ 20] [ 21]