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Diane Langton
Langton as Nana McQueen on Hollyoaks
Born	(1947-05-31)31 May 1947 Somerset, England
Died	15 January 2025(2025-01-15) (aged 77)
Occupations	Actress singer dancer
Years active	1959–2025
Notable work	The Rag Trade Only Fools and Horses Heartbeat EastEnders Hollyoaks
Spouse	Derek James ​(m. 1976)​

Diane Langton (31 May 1947 – 15 January 2025) was an English 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.

Life and career

Diane Langton was born on 31 May 1947 in Somerset, England. Her first credited role was as a schoolgirl in the comedy film Carry On Teacher, she subsequently began 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. Her other notable television appearances included Alas Smith and Jones, Bergerac, Minder, Carry On Laughing and The Bill.

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. Between 1998 and 1999, she appeared in EastEnders as Cindy Beale's 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. In 2007, she began portraying the role of Nana McQueen on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, a role she played sporadically until her death on 15 January 2025, at the age of 77.

Filmography

Television and film

Stage

References

1. "Diane Langton - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
2. "Billy Elliot's Diane Langton Recalls a Lifetime on the London Stage -…". Broadway.com. 22 July 2012. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
3. "Carry On England (1976)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
4. "Billy Elliott the Musical - Cast". Billy Elliot the Musical. Archived from the original on 14 April 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
5. "On the record". The Stage. No. 5135. 13 September 1979. p. 10. Retrieved 15 January 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
6. "Performances :: 1982, London Theatre Royal". Royal Variety Charity. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
7. "Comic & Dramatic Monologues". Bright Thoughts. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
8. "Only Fools and Horses - S4 - Episode 1: Happy Returns". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 9 May 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
9. "Diane Langton on closure of The Rink musical · British Universities Film & Video Council". BUFVC. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
10. ^ "Actress to be reunited with cousin". Coventry Telegraph. 13 August 2003. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
11. ^ "Diane Langton". Aveleyman. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
12. ^ "Diane Langton". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
13. "Diane Langton". TV Guide.
14. Gardner, Alison (29 June 2014). "Hollyoaks' Diane Langton on playing Nana: 'The storylines are fabulous - and so are her clothes'". What's on TV.
15. ^ "Hollyoaks: Interview with Diane Langton who plays Nana". Channel4.com. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
16. Shenton, Mark (1 October 2010). "London's Billy Elliot Welcomes New Billy and Diane Langton". Playbill. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
17. "Only Fools and Horses star and soap legend Diane Langton dies aged 77". LBC. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
18. Zammitt, Erin (15 January 2025). "Hollyoaks legend Diane Langton dies aged 77". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
19. "Diane Langton". Plex Inc. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
20. "Diane Langton". Theatricalia.com. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
21. Wood, Alex (15 January 2025). "TV and musical star Diane Langton has died aged 77". What's on Stage. Retrieved 15 January 2025.

External links

• Diane Langton at IMDb
• Diane Langton discography at Discogs

• 1947 births
• 2025 deaths
• 20th-century English actresses
• 21st-century English actresses
• Actresses from Somerset
• English television actresses
• English film actresses
• English stage actresses