Inside EastEnders star Brian Conley’s off-camera life from 27 year marriage to job at Pontins
The actor isn't the first person in his family to work on the BBC soap
BRIAN Conley has become an EastEnders fan favourite after arriving in Albert Square two years ago.
But while Rocky is a hit with viewers, the actor couldn’t be further from the Walford native off screen.
Actor Brian, 62, initially arrived in Walford as Sonia’s father Rocky – but fans discovered he is actually bad boy Nick Cotton’s brother Tommy in disguise.
Despite a rocky start, including being outed as a bigamist, the character is loved up with Kathy Beale.
But as Brian prepares to leave the BBC One soap, we take a look at his impressive TV career.
The actor has worked with the likes of Amanda Holden and Terry Wogan, and also competed in ballroom contest Strictly Come Dancing.
We’ve got the lowdown on Brian’s life away from filming for the soap – from his happy marriage to his stint at holiday camp Pontins.
LIFE ON SCREEN
Brian joined the cast of EastEnders – which was his late father’s favourite TV show – in 2021.
It was a strange turn of fate for the actor, who revealed dad Colin, who died that year, had worked on the soap as a rigger for the BBC.
The star’s father was a prop man, and was seen in the background on many iconic scenes throughout his time working for the broadcaster.
Brian followed in his dad’s footsteps working on the streets of Walford decades after starting his TV career as a teenager.
He first starred in a number of sci-fi programmes including The Tomorrow People – which ran from 1973 to 1979.
Since then, Brian has rarely left our screens as he went on to work on The Brian Conley Show in 1992, where his catchphrase “It’s a puppet” was born.
In 1994, he starred alongside Samantha Beckinsale and Sylvia Kay in Time After Time, and later joined the cast of comedy show The Grimleys.
Acting alongside Amanda Holden, he played Doug ‘Dynamo’ Digby in a number of episodes airing between 1999 and 2001.
The series saw him trying to win the affections of teacher Geraldine, who was played by Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda, 50.
More recently, Brian has starred on a number of game shows including The Chase, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here and Pointless.
He also starred in Christian Bale film Equilibrium, and turned his attention to the West End, starring in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Oliver.
LIFE OFF SCREEN
Brian has been married to his wife Anne-Marie since 1996 – and the couple share two daughters together: Amy and Lucy.
Before his telly career kicked off, work was not always easy to come by for Brian, who once lied to get a job in Pontins.
He told Group Leisure and Travel: “I read that Pontins was holding auditions for Bluecoats, but you had to be 18 and over to apply.
“I went along anyway. I prepared five 20-minute slots and I think they were so blown away by that, that I got the job.
“I saw the lady who gave me the job years later and she admitted always knew I was too young, but really liked me, so that was lovely to hear.
“Sometimes you need a bit of luck though, because an agent signed me after one season at Pontins.”
