Leslie Grantham, Dirty Den in 'EastEnders,' dies at 71

LONDON - Leslie Grantham, who played arch-villain "Dirty Den" Watts on long-running British soap opera EastEnders, has died. He was 71.

Grantham's management, Advocate Agency, says he died Friday. No cause of death was given.

EastEnders began in 1985, chronicling life in a fictional London neighbourhood. Grantham's character ran the Queen Victoria pub with his wife Angie, and their tempestuous relationship was central to the show's success. Half of Britain's population watched Den serve Angie with divorce papers in a Christmas 1986 episode.

Grantham left the show in 1989, returning from 2003 to 2005.

Grantham began acting while serving a decade in prison for murder. He had been convicted of killing a taxi driver while serving in the British Army in Germany.

Grantham is survived by his ex-wife Jane Laurie and three sons.

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