# Charlie Brooks

Charlene Emma Brooks (born 3 May 1981) is an English actress, best known for her role of Janine Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Brooks has also performed in British television shows The Bill, Wired and Bleak House, as well as portraying Anna Fallmont in the Network 10 drama Lie With Me.
Brooks has also appeared on several reality television shows, winning the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special in 2011 and the twelfth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2012. She appeared as a contestant on the seventeenth series of Dancing on Ice in 2025.

## Early life

Charlene Emma Brooks was born on 3 May 1981, in Ware, Hertfordshire, England, and moved to Barmouth, Gwynedd when she was a child. Brooks attended Tower House School in Barmouth, and relocated to London to attend Ravenscourt Theatre School, Hammersmith.

## Career

On television, Brooks has appeared in episodes of The Bill, London's Burning, Jonathan Creek and The Demon Headmaster.
After her departure from EastEnders in 2004, Brooks's first role was in the BBC drama Bleak House as Jenny. Brooks has appeared in commercials and voiceovers in the United Kingdom, Europe and the US.
In 2006, Brooks played Beverley Allitt in a BBC1 docu-drama entitled Beverley Allitt: Angel of Death, alongside Ian Kelsey. Producer Cathy Elliot said: "It's a very sensitive issue and of course it's terrible for the parents to have the whole thing brought up. Each time it's brought up it's painful, but a lot of parents realise it's important it's kept in the public domain and that people are aware that things have happened and that not a lot has been done since".
She has guest starred in Robin Hood and Love Soup. In theatre, Brooks, whilst on a break from EastEnders in 2003, appeared in the play Office Games alongside Adam Rickitt. The play was Brooks' West End debut, and described as "a witty and intelligent political commentary". In 2007, she appeared in Our Country's Good at the Liverpool Playhouse.

### EastEnders

When executive producer Matthew Robinson re-introduced the character of Janine Butcher in 1999, after Alexia Demetriou had left the role, Brooks secured the role. Brooks remained in the role until May 2004.
In April 2008, Brooks returned to EastEnders for a guest stint. She was later confirmed to be coming back as a regular character. She said, "I had doubts to begin with, mainly because of Kiki [her daughter], as I know how full-on EastEnders can be, and then there's that stigma about going back to a soap. But I'm so pleased I did, it was the right decision. Especially with what's going on at the moment, I feel really lucky to have a job and I need the security because of Kiki. I was just going to go back for a year, but I had a meeting with the boss last week and we're going to go for another year. So lots more time to get up to much mischief". Executive producer Diederick Santer said, "I couldn't be more pleased that Charlie Brooks is re-joining EastEnders. With her appearances last month, she reminded us what a fine actress she is, and what an intriguing, watchable and engaging character she plays as Janine". She temporarily departed in September 2012, and returned in April 2013 before departing again in March 2014.
In April 2021, it was announced that Brooks had agreed to reprise the role once again for a "huge storyline" and would return later in the year. She made her on-screen return in September 2021. Brooks appeared in her 1,000th episode as Janine on 10 February 2022.

### All in a Row

In January 2019, it was announced that Alex Oates's play All in a Row, starring Brooks as Tamora, the mother, was going to be produced by Paul Virides Productions at the Southwark Playhouse. The play is based on Oates' ten years of experience caring for severely autistic children and adults, and won the Top Five Play Reading at the Bolton Octagon. The play is about the parents of a profoundly autistic eleven-year-old boy and how they are feeling the night before he is taken to a residential school, when social services feel he needs more support than can be given in their family home.
Criticisms of the play started to emerge when a video trailer for the production was released showing the autistic character, Laurence, portrayed by a puppet. Journalist Frances Ryan, without having seen it, criticised the play by calling it a "grotesque step backwards". The National Autistic Society, who initially decided to help the production by providing consultation, reacted to the Twitter furore by releasing a statement saying "while recognising some of the play's strengths, we decided we could not support the play overall due to its portrayal of autism, particularly the use of a puppet to depict the autistic character alone."
Brooks responded by saying: "I understand people's concerns, but I do urge people to come and see the play first before they judge." She also claimed that having a puppet character is essential and that Laurence, the puppet, is very playful. During rehearsals, Brooks visited the Queensmill School for autistic children in Shepherd’s Bush, talking to the pupils, their teachers and carers. Brooks concluded by stating: "This is a story that is rarely told. I just hope people will come and see it instead of sitting at home getting angry."

## Other ventures
### Reality television

She won I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2012, beating campmate Ashley Roberts. Brooks also narrated Botched Up Bodies on Channel 5. In 2025, Brooks is set to appear as a contestant on the seventeenth series of Dancing on Ice.

### Fitness DVD

Her fitness DVD became the UK's best-selling fitness DVD release, and Brooks was transformed from "podgy Janine to a sexy new mum".

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1996 | The Demon Headmaster | The Brains | 3 episodes |
| 1996 | Out of Tune | Carol | Main role; 7 episodes |
| 1997 | The Bill | Miriam Olston | Episode: "A Place of Your Own" |
| 1998 | Turning Points | Emma | Unknown episodes |
| 1999–2004, 2008–2014, 2021–2022 | EastEnders | Janine Butcher | Regular role; 1,089 episodes |
| 1999 | The Bill | Claire Fellows | Episode: "Cold Calling" |
| 1999 | Pudding Lane | Janine Butcher | Television film |
| 1999 | Jonathan Creek | Trudi | Episode: "The Omega Man" |
| 2000 | London's Burning | Lisa | Series 12: Episode 1 |
| 2005 | The Golden Hour | Cara Wilson | Series 1: Episode 2 |
| 2005 | Bleak House | Jenny | Miniseries; 5 episodes |
| 2005 | Angel of Death: The Beverly Allitt Story | Beverley Allitt | Television film |
| 2006 | Take 3 Girls | Patsy | Film |
| 2006 | Casualty | Sally Montgomery | Episode: "Sons and Lovers" |
| 2007 | Heartbeat | Julie Langley-Smythe | Episode: "Another Little Piece of My Heart" |
| 2007 | Robin Hood | Ceris | Episode: "Walkabout" |
| 2008 | Love Soup | Denise | Episode: "Human Error" |
| 2008 | Wired | Anna | Miniseries; all 3 episodes |
| 2010 | EastEnders: Last Tango in Walford | Janine Butcher | DVD release |
| 2011 | EastEnders: E20 | Janine Butcher | 3 episodes |
| 2011 | Strictly Come Dancing (Christmas Special) | Herself (participant) | Winner |
| 2012–2013 | Celebrity Juice | Herself (participant) | 4 episodes |
| 2012 | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here | Herself (participant) | Winner; series 12 |
| 2013–2014 | Botched Up Bodies | Narrator | Unknown episodes |
| 2014 | Suspects | Tanya | Episode: "Nobody Else: Part 1" |
| 2015 | The Dumping Ground | Stephanie Branston | Episode: "Law & Disorder Part One: Party Games" |
| 2016 | The Chase: Celebrity Special | Herself (participant) | Didn't appear in the final chase |
| 2018 | Moving On | Tina | Episode: "Neighbour" |
| 2020 | FOG | Rachel | Short film |
| 2021 | Lie With Me | Anna Fallmont | Miniseries; all 4 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | Richard Osman's House of Games | Herself | Participant; 10 episodes, including House of Champions |
| 2025 | Dancing on Ice | Contestant; series 17 |

## Theatre and radio

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2003 | Office Games | Rose Brown |
| 2004 | The Play What I Wrote | Rose |
| 2005–2006 | Dixon of Dock Green | Mary Dixon |
| 2006 | Dangerous Corner | Betty |
| 2007 | Our Country's Good | Dabby Bryant |
| 2013 | Dusty Won't Play | Dusty Springfield |
| 2014 | Beautiful Thing | Sandra Gangel |
| 2015 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Blanche |
| 2017 | How the Other Half Loves | Teresa |
| 2019 | All in a Row | Tamora |
| 2022–2023 | The Ocean at the End of the Lane | Ursula / Skarthach |
| 2024 | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Childcatcher |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Result |
| 2000 | National Television Awards | Most Popular Newcomer | Nominated |
| 2000 | The British Soap Awards | Best Newcomer | Nominated |
| 2001 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Bitch | Won |
| 2002 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Bitch | Nominated |
| 2003 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Bitch | Nominated |
| 2004 | National Television Awards | Most Popular Actress | Nominated |
| 2004 | TV Quick and Choice Awards | Best Soap Actress | Won |
| 2004 | TV Quick and Choice Awards | Best Soap Storyline | Nominated |
| 2004 | The British Soap Awards | Soap Bitch of the Year | Nominated |
| 2004 | The British Soap Awards | Villain of the Year | Won |
| 2004 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Bitch | Won |
| 2004 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2004 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Soap Storyline | Nominated |
| 2005 | The British Soap Awards | Best Exit | Won |
| 2009 | All About Soap Awards | Best Bitch | Won |
| 2009 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Bitch | Won |
| 2009 | End of Year EastEnders Awards | Best Bitch | Won |
| 2010 | All About Soap Awards | Femme Fatale | Won |
| 2010 | All About Soap Awards | Best Soap Love Triangle (Shared with Lacey Turner and Neil McDermott) | Nominated |
| 2010 | Digital Spy Soap Awards | Best Soap Bitch | Won |
| 2011 | The British Soap Awards | Villain of the Year | Nominated |
| 2011 | TV Times Awards | TV's Most Popular Bitch | Won |
| 2011 | All About Soap Awards | Best Celeb Style | Nominated |
| 2012 | TV Choice Awards | Best Soap Actress | Nominated |
| 2012 | Inside Soap Awards | Soap Bitch of the Year | Won |
| 2012 | DS Awards | DS Female Soap Actor | Won |
| 2013 | TV Choice Awards | Best Soap Actress | Nominated |
| 2013 | Inside Soap Awards | Soap Bitch of the Year | Nominated |
| 2013 | DS Awards | Best Female Soap Actor | Nominated |
| 2014 | The British Soap Awards | Villain of the Year | Nominated |
| 2014 | The British Soap Awards | Best Storyline – Hello Stacey, Goodbye Janine | Nominated |
| 2021 | I Talk Telly Awards | Best Soap Performance | Nominated |
| 2022 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Villain | Nominated |
| 2022 | I Talk Telly Awards | Best Soap Partnership (with Danny Dyer) | Nominated |
| 2022 | Digital Spy Awards | OMG Soap Moment of the Year | Won |