Dean Gaffney

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Dean Gaffney
Gaffney, Dean.jpg
Gaffney in 2004
Born (1978-02-14) 14 February 1978 (age 46)
Hammersmith, London, England
OccupationActor
Years active1991–present
Children2

Dean Martin Gaffney (born 14 February 1978) is an English actor, best known for his role as Robbie Jackson on the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1993 to 2003 and 2017 to 2019; he also made guest appearances in 2004, 2010 and 2015. In 2006, he competed in the ITV series I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and finished in fifth place. Will be making a return to the square in Spring of 2025

Contents

Early life

Gaffney was born in Hammersmith, London. He attended St Mark's Catholic School, Hounslow, [1] and later trained at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in Marylebone, [2] and the Corona Theatre School in Kew Bridge. [3]

Career

EastEnders

Gaffney's first appearance as Robbie Jackson in EastEnders aired in December 1993, and he remained in the role for 11 years. In 2003, executive producer Louise Berridge made the decision to axe Gaffney along with the actress Bindya Solanki, who played his on-screen girlfriend Nita Mistry. In a press report, Berridge commented, "We do feel that the characters have reached the end of their natural course in the show, and they will both be leaving in spring 2003". [4] Gaffney made a further appearance in the soap, returning for a brief visit in 2004 for the wedding of his on-screen half-sister Sonia Jackson (portrayed by Natalie Cassidy). [5]

On 25 October 2009, it was announced Gaffney would briefly reprise his role as Jackson. [6] In June 2015, it was announced Gaffney would once again briefly reprise his role as part of Lindsey Coulson's (who played his mother on the show) departure from the show. [7] On 17 April 2017, it was announced he would return to the soap full-time. [8] Gaffney was written out of the soap in 2019 amid concerns over his behaviour off-set. [9]

Other roles

In 1991, Gaffney played the Boy (alternating with another actor) in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot in the West End, alongside Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson. [10]

In November 2006, Gaffney appeared as a guest star on the long-running ITV serial drama The Bill . Gaffney played Gavin Josef, a cocky wide-boy who was connected to an assault investigation. [11] In 2007, Gaffney toured with the Agatha Christie Theatre Company, performing The Unexpected Guest. He played Jan, a 19-year-old murder suspect with learning difficulties. [12] During Christmas 2011, he appeared in pantomime at the Thurrock Thameside Theatre in Grays, Essex. [13]

In 2015, Gaffney starred as Wishee Washee, in the pantomime Aladdin, staged at The Brindley in Runcorn. [14]

In November 2022, Gaffney appeared in a charity football match in Chatham, Kent. [15]

In 2023, he appeared in I'm a Celebrity... South Africa . [16]

Personal life

Gaffney lives in Hertford, Hertfordshire. He and Sarah Burge are the parents of twin daughters, Charlotte and Chloe. Gaffney and Burge were in a relationship for 22 years and were engaged. [17] While appearing on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! , Gaffney admitted to David Gest that he had had an affair. [18] The couple split in 2015. [19]

In January 2013, Gaffney suffered serious head injuries when a car he was travelling in collided with the central reservation on the A38 in Derby. [20] Gaffney admitted he had not been wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident, and said "It could have been a lot worse. One inch down and I would have been blind. One inch up and I would have been brain damaged." [21] [22] In 2019, Gaffney was involved in two further car crashes, the first, on the M25 in Essex, the second, four months later, outside Elstree Studios. [23] [24]

In 2022, Gaffney broke his collarbone after being hit by a Lamborghini driven by Wesley Fofana whilst on a night out in London. [25]

Filmography

Television and film
YearTitleRoleNotes
1993 The Bill Paul Moore1 episode
Inside Victor Lewis-Smith Stage Kid1 episode
1993 Oasis Mickey Drake
1993–2004, 2010,
2015, 2017–2019		 EastEnders Robbie Jackson 978 episodes
2003 The Club Himself
Rain in HellShort film
2006 The Bill Gavin JosefGuest appearance
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! HimselfContestant
2007 Extras
2009 M.I. High Luke Withers1 episode: "The Mole"
2012Crime StoriesMark Hall1 episode
2013 Let's Dance for Comic Relief HimselfCharity appearance
Misfits Mick
2020 Celebs Go Dating HimselfMain cast [26]
2023 I'm a Celebrity... South Africa Himself

Stage

YearTitleRole
1991 Waiting for Godot The Boy
2007The Unexpected GuestJan
2010 Calendar Girls
2013A Murder is AnnouncedPatrick Simmons
Murder in PlaySimon Brett
2014 Peter Pan Captain Hook [27]
2015AladdinWishee Washee

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References

  1. ↑ "Why I love...Brentford", BBC.co.uk; accessed 25 September 2006.
  2. ↑ "Sylvia Young Theatre School - Alumni". sylviayoungtheatreschool.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  3. ↑ ""Ravenscourt Theatre School" Archived 4 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine , Ravenscourt.net; accessed 10 December 2006.
  4. ↑ "Dean Gaffney to leave 'EastEnders'" Archived 9 March 2005 at the Wayback Machine , Digital Spy ; accessed 25 September 2006.
  5. ↑ ""Gaffney returns to 'EastEnders'", Digital Spy ; accessed 19 September 2008.
  6. ↑ Green, Kris (25 October 2009). "The Jacksons return to 'EastEnders'". Digital Spy . Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  7. ↑ "EastEnders' Robbie Jackson returning to Square". BBC . 26 June 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  8. ↑ McCreesh, Louise (17 April 2017). "Dean Gaffney is heading back to EastEnders to reprise his role as Robbie Jackson". Digital Spy . Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  9. ↑ Milan, Aidan (13 October 2019). "Why has Dean Gaffney been axed from EastEnders?". Metro . Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  10. ↑ "Dean Gaffney's still a ladies' man". 24 June 2010.
  11. ↑ "Gaffney, Robson and Stapleton to guest on 'The Bill'" Archived 29 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine , DigitalSpy.co.uk; accessed 25 September 2006.
  12. ↑ "The Unexpected Guest", BBC.co.uk; accessed 21 June 2007.
  13. ↑ "Panto closes as a record breaker (From Thurrock Gazette)". Thurrock Gazette. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  14. ↑ Jones, Catherine (20 July 2015). "EastEnder Dean Gaffney to star in panto in Runcorn". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  15. ↑ Langridge, Alex (31 October 2022). "TOWIE's James Argent and Dan Osborne, EastEnders' Dean Gaffney and former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara to play in celebrity football match in Chatham for Leilani Aisthorpe". Kent Online. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  16. ↑ "I'm A Celebrity Unveils Line-Up For Upcoming All Stars Series In South Africa". HuffPost UK. 26 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  17. ↑ "Dean Gaffney dumped by fiancee?", Digitalspy.co.uk; accessed 18 March 2007.
  18. ↑ "'I'm A Celebrity's Dean Gaffney Admits To Affairs – Entertainment News, Reviews, Competitions". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  19. ↑ "Dean Gaffney and girlfriend of 22 years Sarah Burge split". Hello!. 28 June 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  20. ↑ "Dean Gaffney in Derby hospital after car crash". BBC Online . 31 January 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  21. ↑ Battersby, Matilda. "Dean Gaffney on his car crash: I wasn't wearing my seatbelt". The Independent . Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  22. ↑ "Dean Gaffney injured in car accident". The Guardian. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  23. ↑ Lindsay, Duncan (24 June 2019). "EastEnders star Dean Gaffney involved in second car crash in four months". Metro. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  24. ↑ "EastEnders star Dean Gaffney has second car crash in FOUR months after 'head-on prang with teen'". Heart. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  25. ↑ Pankhurst, Isobel (14 January 2024). "EastEnders star Dean Gaffney 'catapulted' into air after being hit by car" . Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  26. ↑ Edwards, Chris (20 November 2019). "Celebs Go Dating 2020 cast announced with Amy Hart and Amy Childs". Digital Spy . Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  27. ↑ Evans, Bethan (29 September 2014). "Playhouse panto star Dean ready for Weston night out". Weston, Worle and Somerset Mercury. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
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