Trivia

Enjoys tap dancing and has a mezzo-soprano voice.

Attended the Italia Conti Theatre School with her brother at the age of 10, before going on to attend the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School.

To relax, Letitia paints the walls of her house, which she says is quite exhausting but therapeutic.

As of 2026 she is the second longest serving actress in the history of EastEnders (1985) (behind only June Brown), having played the character Sharon Watts for a total of 29 years (initially from 1985 until 1995, then from 2001 until 2006 and again from 2012 onwards).

Ranked #3 in the 100 Greatest EastEnders (1985) Characters of All Time for her performance as Sharon Rickman (2010).

Released a fitness DVD entitled Lean Routine (2008) after dropping four clothes sizes due to an intensive dieting and dancing regime (January 2009).

Is one of thirteen EastEnders (1985) actresses who despite giving birth on the show have never become mothers in real life. The others are Wendy Richard, Susan Tully, Jan Graveson, Emma Barton, Danielle Harold, Mimi Keene, Rakhee Thakrar, Holly Donovan, Lorna Fitzgerald, Tilly Keeper, Clair Norris and Lillia Turner.

Participated in the fifth series of Strictly Come Dancing (2004) in 2007, partnered with professional dancer Darren Bennett. She made it to the quarter-finals before being voted out and in January 2008 she took part in the "Strictly Come Dancing Arena Tour", alongside former EastEnders (1985) co-stars Louisa Lytton and Matt Di Angelo.

Her EastEnders (1985) character Sharon Mitchell became the 37th woman on the soap opera to give birth. Sharon had a son Albie (played by Arthur Gentleman), born on February 21, 2020.

Was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award for portraying Sharon Watts in EastEnders (1985) intermittently for 37 years at The British Soap Awards 2022 (2022) on June 11, 2022. Dean was presented the award by Anita Dobson, who portrayed her mother Angie Watts on The British Soap Awards 2022 (2022), and dedicated it to her father who had passed away two weeks previously.

She and Paul J. Medford, who played Kelvin Carpenter in the soap EastEnders, sang a duet "Something Outta Nothing", which charted at no. 12 in the UK charts in 1986.

She has a brother, Stephen J. Dean, who played the young John opposite Patsy Kensit in the TV mini series Diana (1984).

In a 1986 EastEnders book she named Paul Nicholas as her favourite actor and Meryl Streep as her favourite actress.

Got engaged to boyfriend Jason Pethers after just 4 months of dating.

Her former EastEnders (1985) co-star and close friend Susan Tully was a bridesmaid at her wedding to Jason Pethers.

Was in attendance at the funeral of her former EastEnders (1985) co-star Wendy Richard (9 March 2009).

Is one of 23 EastEnders (1985) actors to compete in Strictly Come Dancing (2004). The others, in chronological order, are Christopher Parker (Spencer Moon), Jill Halfpenny (Kate Mitchell), Patsy Palmer (Bianca Jackson), Louisa Lytton (Ruby Allen), Matt Di Angelo (Deano Wicks), Phil Daniels (Kevin Wicks), Gillian Taylforth (Kathy Mitchell), Jessie Wallace (Kat Moon), Zöe Lucker (Vanessa Gold), Ricky Groves (Garry Hobbs), Natalie Cassidy (Sonia Fowler), Jimi Mistry (Fred Fonseca), Scott Maslen (Jack Branning), Kara Tointon (Dawn Swann), Anita Dobson (Angie Watts), Sid Owen (Ricky Butcher), Jake Wood (Max Branning), Kellie Bright (Linda Carter), Tameka Empson (Kim Fox-Hubbard), Davood Ghadami (Kush Kazemi), Lee Ryan (Woody Woodward) and Charles Venn (Ray Dixon).

Best friends with former EastEnders (1985) co-star Hannah Waterman.

Her favourite singer is Barbra Streisand.

Ranked #3 in The 100 Greatest EastEnders (1985) Characters of All Time for her performance as Sharon Mitchell (2015).