Who is Charlie Brooks and what does the Eastenders actor do now?
CHARLIE Brooks made a name for herself as evil Janine Butcher in EastEnders.
The actress has now stepped away from Albert Square and is dipping her toes into a new business venture.
Who is Charlie Brooks?
Charlie Brooks (real name Charlene) was born in Ware, Hertfordshire in 1981.
She is best known for playing villainous Janine Butcher in EastEnders.
Charlie appeared in I’m A Celebrity back in 2012 and was named Queen of the Jungle, beating Pussycat Doll singer Ashley Roberts who was the runner-up.
Her portrayal of supervillain Janine bagged her a number of awards, including Villain of the Year at the British Soap Awards in 2004.
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She has a of around $1,650,000 (£ 1.2 million) thanks to her impressive career in TV.
Who did Charlie Brooks play in Eastenders?
Charlie Brooks first appeared in EastEnders as the iconic villain Janine Butcher, daughter of Frank Butcher and sister of Ricky, in 1999.
The star was embroiled in a number of dramatic storylines during her time on the show, which saw three of Janine’s four husbands meet grisly ends.
Her first marriage to Barry ended in disaster when Janine revealed she’d only tied the knot to get her hands on some cash.
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When Barry refused to believe it could be true, Janine made a point of her repulsion towards him by shoving him from the top of a cliff.
Her next marriage to a rich elderly Jewish businessman called David also ended in tears when he died of a heart attack at the ceremony.
Janine also married Ryan Malloy, who she tried to poison after discovering he was cheating on her with Stacey Slater.
Her attempts to murder Ryan proved unsuccessful, but Janine did manage to kill her fourth husband Michael Moon.
Janine knifed Michael after discovering he was plotting to kill her to get custody of their daughter Scarlett.
She temporarily departed from the role in September 2012 and returned in April 2013 before departing again in March 2014.
In 2021, The Sun has revealed that Janine is returning to the BBC soap as part of a “huge story”.
Her stint in BBC soap was nothing short of troublesome as she married Mick Carter and went to extreme lengths to destroy the Carter family.
Her 18-month contract for the role came to an explosive end in Christmas 2022.
What else has Charlie Brooks starred in?
After her departure from EastEnders in 2004, her first role was in the BBC drama Bleak House as Jenny.
Brooks also narrates Botched Up Bodies on Channel 5.
She has appeared in episodes of The Bill, London's Burning, Jonathan Creek and The Demon Headmaster.
In 2021, she lead the cast of the Channel 5 drama Lie With Me.
What does Charlie Brooks do now?
In October 2022, it was revealed that Charlie will star in the National Theatre’s production of The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
The actress revealed on This Morning in January 2023 that she has been working with Ann Summers for the past four years to come up with a new type of vibrator.
Charlie also shared the news on Instagram.
"So. The secret is out. I designed a vibrator. I know. Wild. Battled through a lot of everything to get this to you today. Four years in the making. I started from where I was.
"Ordered sone clay. Talked to friends, product designers, anyone who knew anyone who might help. I reached out. It’s Called The U. And it’s all about U. It’s won a f***** award!'
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Does Charlie Brooks have any children?
Charlie welcomed her daughter Kiki in 2004 with her ex-fiancé Tony Truman.
The couple split in 2006 but have remained close and dedicated to having a good co-parenting relationship.