Glynis Barber replaces Gascoine in EastEnders

Glynis Barber replaces Gascoine in EastEnders
Glynis Barber replaces Gascoine in EastEnders

Actress Glynis Barber is to join the cast of EastEnders as Ronnie and Roxy's mum Glenda, after Jill Gascoine pulled out of playing the part. Gascoine, who was originally cast, withdrew from the soap earlier this week saying she "lacked the experience" to take on a project such as EastEnders. "I was so looking forward to playing Glenda," she said, "but having spent the last 15 years working in America, largely acting in single drama and writing fiction, I felt on arrival I lacked the right experience to film such a big continuing drama. "I have tremendous respect for EastEnders and the cast so I didn’t want to let the show or my fellow cast members down. "I'm really sad that I won't now play a part in EastEnders but I'd like to wish Glynis Barber the best of luck in the role of Glenda." Barber first found fame in the 80s cop show Dempsey and Makepeace, although more recently has been seen in Emmerdale and ITV1's The Royal She will make her first appearance in Albert Square in the new year.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.