Diane Parish


Diane Carol Richards, known professionally as Diane Parish, is an English actress, who has been portraying the character Denise Fox on the BBC One soap opera EastEnders since 2006.
A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Parish has acted on British television for over two decades. She has appeared in a number of TV shows over the years, including the ITV dramas The Bill and M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team playing Detective Eva Sharpe. She is also known for appearing in two series of the BBC One comedy drama Lovejoy.

Early life

Parish was born on 6 November 1969 in Tottenham, London and attended Kingsmead School in Enfield, where she wrote and performed in school drama productions before graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Career

After graduating from London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she worked mainly in theatre, including playing Cordelia in Talawa Theatre Company's 1994 production of King Lear.
Parish has appeared in various television roles. In Lovejoy, she played Beth Taylor, the replacement for the character Eric Catchpole. Another television role was in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Lola Christie, the girlfriend of Mick McFarlane and manager of the night café, in 1998.
Parish has also appeared in television dramas including The Bill and its spin-off M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team, playing DC Eva Sharpe. Before The Bill she starred in Babyfather, for which she received the Royal Television Society's best actress award in 2001, becoming the first black actor to win a major RTS award. Parish returned to EastEnders in May 2006, but this time playing regular character Denise Fox. She departed from the soap opera temporarily in January 2008 in order to give birth to her daughter, returning in June that year. Parish appeared as Millie in the 1996 film Indian Summer. In September 2025, Parish was announced to appear in the seventh series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK as a special celebrity guest during a makeover challenge.

Personal life

Parish is of Dominican and Montserratian descent. She has two daughters with her former partner, Sebastian Hagemeister.

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNotes
1993Frank Stubbs PromotesReceptionistEpisode: "Starlet"
1993Screen OneBlackpool WaitressEpisode: "Wide-Eyed and Legless"
1993–1994LovejoyBeth TaylorMain role
1996'MilkieTV film
1996Indian SummerMillieFilm; also marketed as Alive and Kicking
1997CasualtyDonnaEpisode: "Déjà Vu"
1997Holding OnJanetTV mini-series
1998Picking Up the PiecesLisa GeeTV series
1998Driving Miss Daisy CrazyDaisyShort film
1998EastEndersLola ChristieRegular role
1999Real WomenRachelTV series
2000'Shirley RobinsonMain role in all 8 episodes of Series 2: "Betrayed: Parts 1 & 2", "Walking on Water: Parts 1 & 2", "Betrayed: Parts 1 & 2", "Lovesick: Parts 1 & 2"
2000–2001Clocking OffSylvia RobinsonMain role
2001Comedy LabJacksEpisode: "Turn the World Down"
2001–2002BabyfatherLesley BaileyRegular role
2002–2004'Eva SharpeRegular role
2005Holby CityLucy FauldsEpisode: "Live and Let Die"
2005Murder Investigation TeamEva SharpeEpisodes #2.1, #2.2, #2.3, #2.4
2005Waking the DeadSheryl PalliserEpisodes: "Black Run: Parts 1 & 2"
2006–presentEastEndersDenise FoxRegular role
2010East StreetDenise FoxCharity crossover between Coronation Street and EastEnders
2010EastEnders: Farewell StaceyDenise FoxTelevision film
2012'Denise Fox2 episodes: "The Deadline", "Branching Out"
2014EastEnders: The Ghosts of Ian BealeDenise FoxCharity special
2020The Queen Vic Quiz NightDenise FoxCharity crossover between Coronation Street and EastEnders
2020EastEnders: Secrets from the SquareHerselfEpisode: "Denise and Kim"
2023EastEnders: The SixHerself2 episodes
2025EastEnders Investigates: The ManosphereHerselfDocumentary
2025RuPaul's Drag Race UKSpecial guestSeries 7

Awards and nominations