EastEnders star Letitia Dean showed off her slimline figure at the National Television Awards on Tuesday night while celebrating with her fellow soap co-stars.
The 58-year-old actress wowed attendees on the red carpet in an off-the-shoulder black minidress, which she paired with shiny black heels.
Dean took to Instagram to share photos from the evening, showing her enjoying a quick drink with co-stars Jacqueline Jossa, Kellie Bright and Kitty Castledine during British television's biggest night.
She also shared a sweet snap posing alongside James Farrar, who previously starred as Zach Hudson in EastEnders before joining the cast of rival soap Hollyoaks.
Dean has portrayed Sharon Watts on the BBC flagship soap opera EastEnders since the show first launched in 1985. The annual National Television Awards celebrate the most popular programmes and performers across British television.
Weight Loss Journey and Health Routine
The star previously opened up about her dramatic body transformation, revealing how she dropped two stone in weight. She went from 10st 4lb down to 8st 3lb, dropping four dress sizes in total.
Dean achieved the weight loss in just one year by prioritising her health and wellbeing while cutting out junk food completely. Over recent years, she has continued to focus on her health and eliminated bad habits from her lifestyle.
The actress had previously been pictured alongside former co-stars Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell, and Paul Bradley, who played Nigel Bates in the long-running BBC drama series.
Overcoming Yo-Yo Diets
Dean admitted that she had tried various faddy diets in the past that never worked long term. She explained that after ditching junk food, she immediately started feeling much better.
Speaking to Closer magazine in 2007, she said: "It was incredible. I found I had so much more energy than when I used to eat junk food."
Reflecting on her past struggles, Dean noted: "The main reason I wanted to do something about my figure was that I was so sick of extreme dieting and my weight yo-yoing."
"I just woke up one morning, and I'd had enough," she added. "For years and years - as long as I can remember - my weight had yo-yoed up and down. I'd go on fad diets like Atkins or I'd only eat eggs."
She admitted that while she would "lose a stone in a couple of weeks on a yoyo diet", the extreme methods were not sustainable and she would quickly slip back into old habits. The Atkins diet is a well-known low-carbohydrate eating plan, while severe caloric restriction can trigger repeated cycles of weight loss and regain.
Now, the BBC star maintains long-term changes to her diet. She enjoys eating "grilled skinless chicken" and "lots of greens" as part of a well-balanced routine.
Dean revealed that she currently sticks to a daily intake of 1,300 calories and complements her healthy eating regime with regular exercises, including running and boxercise.
According to the official NHS website, the general recommended daily calorie intake is approximately 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 calories for men. The NHS, or National Health Service, provides publicly funded healthcare and medical guidance across the United Kingdom.
Tackling Online Weight Loss Scams
In 2024, Dean was forced to hit out at online scammers who improperly used her image and profile to promote weight loss slimming pills.
A source close to the actress told the Daily Mail: "It is complete nonsense for B+ Weight Management or any other weight loss brand to state that Letitia has given permission for her image to be used."
The source added: "This advertisement and product have absolutely no relevance to Letitia whatsoever and she urges any potential customers to do their research before buying weight loss products, especially ones that claim to be using celebrity endorsements."
The fraudulent advertisements for B+ Weight Management slimming pills were actively pushed across Facebook. When interested users clicked on the links, they were directed to a fake interview with Dean falsely claiming that the pills had helped her "lose five stone in two weeks."
