Letitia Dean - Personal Life

Personal Life

Growing up in the public eye was hard for Dean, and the constant media attention on her appearance (particularly her fluctuating weight) was especially tough, given her young and susceptible age. Dean has since stated that her self-confidence was damaged during this time, and this, as well as back pain, contributed to her decision to get a breast reduction in her teens. Dean has since stated that she is a lot more comfortable in her own skin, and far more relaxed about public interest than she used to be as a teenager, commenting: "I have stopped pleasing people - and I'm calmer and more self assured than I've ever been."

Dean is known to have dated the Irish comedian Ed Byrne; Niel McLintock, the son of Arsenal hero Frank McLintock; Martin Ball, the one time star of the Nescafé adverts to whom she was also engaged; former Crossroads actor Colin Wells and former Bad Girls and Coronation Street actor Jack Ellis (both before they were married) and the musician Chris Taggart, whom she met in panto at Liverpool. In 2001 Dean got engaged to media executive Jason Pethers after knowing him for only a few months. They married in September 2002 at All Saints' Church in Marylebone. Her close friend and EastEnders co-star, Susan Tully, was a bridesmaid at the wedding. Many of Dean's fellow cast-mates from EastEnders (past and present) attended the wedding including Wendy Richard, Barbara Windsor, Pam St Clement, Steve McFadden, Gillian Taylforth, June Brown, Lucy Benjamin, Adam Woodyatt, Anna Wing, Todd Carty, Ricky Groves, Hannah Waterman, Laila Morse and Anita Dobson. After five years of marriage, it was announced in 2007 that Dean and Pethers had separated. Dean subsequently began a relationship with model and dancer Bowen Perrin, after meeting on the set of the Ipswich panto production Cinderella during Christmas 2007. Dean is 18 years Perrin's senior. But the couple are no longer together.

Her older brother, Stephen J. Dean, is also a performer; they have appeared together on stage in several pantomimes. As well as acting, Dean is a keen singer (with a mezzo-soprano voice) and tap dancer.