Fans were delighted to see the Sharon Watts - previously Mitchell - played by Letitia Dean return to EastEnders earlier this year after a short time away.
But it seems that it wasn't just her return that to Albert Square that sent viewers into a frenzy. As Letitia reappeared on the soap, in which she has starred on-and-off since 1985, fans were bowled over by her svelte new figure. A transformation which has seen her dubbed the "skinny queen" by many.
The 54-year-old actress, who recently won The Outstanding Achievement Award at The British Soap Awards 2022, dropped an impressive two stone - and four UK dress sizes - in a reported four months, going from 10st 4lb to 8st 3lb.
Read more: The four foods Simon Cowell cut out of his diet to 'lose four stone'
But how did she do it? Quite simply, by ditching junk food. Over the years, Letitia has admitted to trying a plethora of fad diets in a bid to control fluctuating weight, saying in the past that she had tried “the cabbage soup diet, the Atkins and a really disgusting eggs-only diet".
As well as fad diets, in 2007 the soap star turned to an elegant form of exercise to try and help her shift the pounds, appearing on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, finishing fourth in the competition. Explaining at the time her reasons for wanting to take part in the show on Stacey Dooley's documentary Secrets from the Square, Letitia said: "The main reason I [signed up was because I] wanted to do something about my figure, I was so sick of extreme dieting and my weight yo-yoing."
She added how she'd had "quite a lot of horrible things" said to her regarding her appearance.
Now, it seems Letitia is thriving, glowing and looking more fabulous than ever thanks to her new lifestyle, which has seen her ditching junk food and adhering to a new diet plan focussed on "healthy food" - things such as pitta bread, grilled skinless chicken breast and "lots of greens". On this diet plan, she also reduced her calorie intake to 1,300 a day. She is also exercising too.
Speaking to Women's Health magazine last year, Keri Gans, author of The Small Changes Diet, said: “Build your meals with high-fibre foods, such as fruits and veggies, so you are still satisfied even though your entree size may be smaller than you are used to."
By switching to a healthier lifestyle, not only has Letitia seen an improvement in her weight and appearance, but in herself too. "It was incredible,” she told The Express. “I found I had so much more energy than when I used to eat junk food."
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