# Diane Parish

Diane Carol Richards (born 6 November 1969), known professionally as Diane Parish, is an English actress, who has been portraying the character Denise Fox on the BBC One soap opera EastEnders since 2006.
A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Parish has acted on British television for over two decades. She has appeared in a number of TV shows over the years, including the ITV dramas The Bill and M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team playing Detective Eva Sharpe. She is also known for appearing in two series of the BBC One comedy drama Lovejoy (1993–1994).

## Career

After graduating from London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she worked mainly in theatre, including playing Cordelia in Talawa Theatre Company's 1994 production of King Lear.
Parish has appeared in various television roles. In Lovejoy, she played Beth Taylor, the replacement for the character Eric Catchpole. Another television role was as Lola Christie, the girlfriend of Mick McFarlane, the manager of the EastEnders night cafe, in 1998.
Parish has also appeared in television dramas including The Bill and its spin-off M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team, playing DC Eva Sharpe. Before The Bill she starred in Babyfather, for which she received the Royal Television Society's best actress award in 2001, becoming the first black actor to win a major RTS award. Parish returned to EastEnders in May 2006, but this time playing regular character Denise Fox. She departed from the soap opera temporarily in January 2008 in order to give birth to her daughter, returning in June that year. Parish appeared as Millie in the 1996 film Indian Summer (also released under the title Alive And Kicking).

## Personal life

Parish is of Dominican and Montserratian descent. She has two daughters with her former partner Sebastian Hagemeister.

## Filmography

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1993 | Frank Stubbs Promotes | Receptionist | Episode: "Starlet" |
| 1993 | Screen One | Blackpool Waitress | Episode: "Wide-Eyed and Legless" |
| 1993–1994 | Lovejoy | Beth Taylor | Main role (series 5–6) |
| 1996 | The Final Passage | Milkie | TV film |
| 1996 | Indian Summer | Millie | Film; also marketed as Alive and Kicking |
| 1997 | Casualty | Donna | Episode: "Déjà Vu" |
| 1997 | Holding On | Janet | TV mini-series |
| 1998 | Picking Up the Pieces | Lisa Gee | TV series |
| 1998 | Driving Miss Daisy Crazy | Daisy | Short film |
| 1998 | EastEnders | Lola Christie | Regular role |
| 1999 | Real Women | Rachel | TV series |
| 2000 | The Vice | Shirley Robinson | Episodes: "Betrayed: Parts 1 & 2", "Lovesick: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 2000–2001 | Clocking Off | Sylvia Robinson | Main role (series 1–2) |
| 2001 | Comedy Lab | Jacks | Episode: "Turn the World Down" |
| 2001–2002 | Babyfather | Lesley Bailey | Regular role |
| 2002–2004 | The Bill | Eva Sharpe | Regular role (series 18–20) |
| 2005 | Holby City | Lucy Faulds | Episode: "Live and Let Die" |
| 2005 | Murder Investigation Team | Eva Sharpe | Episodes #2.1, #2.2, #2.3, #2.4 |
| 2005 | Waking the Dead | Sheryl Palliser | Episodes: "Black Run: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 2006–present | EastEnders | Denise Fox | Regular role |
| 2010 | East Street | Denise Fox | Charity crossover between Coronation Street and EastEnders |
| 2010 | EastEnders: Farewell Stacey | Denise Fox | Television film |
| 2012 | The B&B: Kim's Place | Denise Fox | 2 episodes: "The Deadline", "Branching Out" |
| 2014 | EastEnders: The Ghosts of Ian Beale | Denise Fox | Charity special |
| 2020 | The Queen Vic Quiz Night | Denise Fox | Charity crossover between Coronation Street and EastEnders |
| 2020 | EastEnders: Secrets from the Square | Herself | Episode: "Denise and Kim" |
| 2023 | EastEnders: The Six | Herself | 2 episodes |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2002 | Royal Television Society Programme Awards | Actor: Female | Babyfather | Won |
| 2002 | 8th National Television Awards | Most Popular Newcomer | The Bill | Nominated |
| 2007 | British Soap Awards | Best Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2010 | 15th National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2010 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2011 | 16th National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2013 | 2013 British Soap Awards | Best Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2013 | TV Choice Awards | Best Soap Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2014 | 19th National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2014 | 2014 British Soap Awards | Best Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2014 | TV Choice Awards | Best Soap Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2016 | 2016 British Soap Awards | Best Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2016 | TV Choice Awards | Best Soap Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2017 | 22nd National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2017 | 2017 British Soap Awards | Best Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2017 | 2017 British Soap Awards | Best Female Dramatic Performance | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2017 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2017 | Digital Spy Reader Awards | Best Soap Actress | EastEnders | Seventh |
| 2018 | 23rd National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2018 | 2018 British Soap Awards | Best Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2020 | I Talk Telly Awards | Best Soap Performance | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2021 | I Talk Telly Awards | Best Soap Partnership (with Tameka Empson) | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2023 | 2023 British Soap Awards | Best Leading Performer | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2023 | 28th National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2023 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Actress | EastEnders | Nominated |
| 2024 | 29th National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | EastEnders | Pending |