EastEnders' Tiffany Mitchell star's life 26 years after emotional soap ...

EastEnders has seen dozens of characters come and go over the years, with some beloved faces sadly never making a return to Walford. One such fan favourite was Tiffany Mitchell, portrayed by Martine McCutcheon, who was a key figure in the BBC soap during the 90s.

Tiffany was first introduced as a school friend of Bianca Jackson's (Patsy Palmer), and quickly made a name for herself pulling pints behind the bar at the Queen Vic. She kindled a romance with Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp), which led to them welcoming a daughter and tying the knot.

However, Tiffany and Grant's love story was far from smooth sailing. Their tumultuous relationship culminated in Tiffany's tragic accidental death in 1999, when she was hit by Frank Butcher's (Mike Reid) car following another spat with Grant.

So, what has Martine McCutcheon been up to since her EastEnders days?

After her rise to fame on EastEnders, Martine starred in the much-loved Christmas film Love Actually in 2002 as Natalie, which has since become a staple of the festive season, reports Plymouth Live.

In addition to acting, Martine also launched a solo pop career. She enjoyed chart success with her 1999 hit 'This Is My Moment' and released her debut album that same year. She continued to release music until 2002, before taking a lengthy break until 2017. Martine also penned an autobiography, Who Does She Think She Is? in 2000.

Martine has had her share of personal highs and lows, including marrying Jack McManus in a dreamy Lake Como ceremony in September 2012. The couple, who started dating in 2009, welcomed their son Rafferty in 2015. However, in a turn of events, Martine sadly announced in 2024 that she and Jack have decided to go their separate ways.

In a touching statement, Martine shared the sad news: "After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it's best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision."

The actress and singer faced immense sorrow when her brother LJ passed away unexpectedly at the age of 31 in 2022. She expressed her grief to her fans, saying: "My heart is forever broken, My baby brother, my gentle giant, sadly passed away, suddenly, 2 weeks ago. He was 31 years old."

She added: "There is no medical explanation as to why we lost him so soon and whilst we investigate further, we are having to accept that nothing will bring our boy back to us."

Over recent years, Martine has undergone an impressive transformation, losing five stone and dropping three dress sizes.

Her journey hasn't been without its challenges; Martine has been open about her health struggles, including being diagnosed with ME in 2011 and later Lyme disease, as well as living with Fibromyalgia.

EastEnders airs Monday - Thursday on BBC One at 7.30pm. Episodes are also released on iPlayer at 6am.