When she was offered the role of the matriarchal Irene Raymond in EastEnders, Roberta Taylor told the producers she didn't mind what the character looked like as long as she didn't have to wear a cardigan.
After struggling through melodramatic storylines for three years (1997-2000) - Irene played an ex-wife and estranged mother with a toyboy lover, a supermarket and a penchant for new age trends (including feng shui and aromatherapy) - she promptly moved to the BBC for another heavy-hitting role in ITV's The Bill (2002-2008), as the hard-drinking, hard-nosed Detective Inspector Gina Gold.
Taylor, who has died aged ...
