Ann Mitchell loved EastEnders 'security'

Ann Mitchell loved the "security" of starring on \'EastEnders\' for four years.

The 80-year-old actress was a huge fan of her character Cora Cross - who she played from 2011 to 2015 and then again from 2017 to 2018 - and she was delighted about the job security which came with the part.

She said: "I loved the character and I loved my time with \'EastEnders\'.

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"I was thinking about it before I came on, to have four years of security, four years of work was just amazing.

"Something few actors experience."

As well as being known for playing Cora on the soap, Ann is perhaps best known for her role as Dolly Rawlins in TV crime series \'Widows\', which was based on the book by Lynda La Plante - and she still gets recognised in the street for playing both parts.

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Speaking on \'Lorraine\', she said: "When I first went into \'EastEnders\' I was stopped more as Dolly in the beginning and then it became more, \'Cora, darling.\'

"And now it\'s Cora mainly, with Dolly thrown in."

Ann initially appeared in \'EastEnders\' for just one week in April 2011, but she later returned as a regular character in July that year, and she remained on the soap until 2015.

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She then reprised her role on the programme in May 2017 and has since made a number of appearances, most recently in November 2018.

Cora is the mother of Tanya Cross - played by Jo Joyner - and Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks).