EastEnders star Leslie Grantham, 71, 'gravely ill' and 'fighting for life'

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EastEnders star Leslie Grantham who played “Dirty” Den in the soap is fighting for his life, it has been reported.

The legendary actor, 71, is “very poorly”, his representative told The Sun on Monday.

He returned to the UK from Bulgaria where he has been living for a number of years under the care of doctors.

The London-born actor has been secretly visited by close friends who now fear the worst.

Leslie Grantham - In pictures

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A close friend told The Sun: “Leslie is being looked after. Those who are close to him are hugely worried and are praying for his well-being.”

His character in the BBC soap EastEnders, Den Watts, was famously brought back from the dead when he was reunited with his on-screen daughter Sharon.

Fourteen years earlier, he had supposedly been shot dead by a canal during an attempt at leaving the country and Sharon even identified his body.

The Standard has approached Mr Grantham's representatives for comment.

Grantham left the UK after splitting with his wife of 31 years, Jane.

In 2010, he spent time in Bulgaria filming TV series The English Neighbour.

Grantham shot to fame while playing Watts in the soap, originally from 1985 to 1989.

A 1986 Christmas Day episode drew in an audience of more than 30 million viewers, who watched as Grantham handed over divorce papers to his on-screen wife, Angie.

The character was apparently killed off in 1989 but Grantham made a shock return to Albert Square in 2003.

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