Leslie Grantham

Leslie Grantham (born 30th April 1947) played Kiston in the Doctor Who serial Resurrection of the Daleks. Best known for this work in EastEnders, Grantham has a notorious past that coincided with a longtime Doctor Who connection. In 1966, during a botched robbery attempt, he shot and killed a German taxi driver, a crime for which he spent a decade in prison. During his imprisonment, he met and befriended Louise Jameson prior to her being cast as Leela.

As recounted by Jameson in Doctor Who Magazine #428, she and Grantham became pen pals and she encouraged him to become an actor. After being released from prison in 1977, Grantham studied his craft and made his first TV appearance in Resurrection of the Daleks. Soon after, he successfully auditioned for the role of "Dirty Den" in EastEnders. It was only after he made his first appearance in that series that his past was made public by UK tabloids.