Martine McCutcheon Echo Beach
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Martine McCutcheon: EastEnders legend’s forgotten soap role

She's a soap legend in more ways than one!

EastEnders star Martine McCutcheon is a soap legend.

As Tiffany Mitchell she delighted soap fans for years as she ruled Walford for four years becoming one of the show’s most popular characters.

Martine McCutcheon has a long forgotten soap role (Credit: ITV/YouTube)
Martine McCutcheon has a long forgotten soap role (Credit: ITV/YouTube)

And for four years she packed a lot in.

Arriving as Bianca Jackson’s friend, she first had to see off the advances of B’s brother Robbie.

Having decided Walford was for her, Tiffany landed a job in the Queen Vic under Grant Mitchell.

Read more: Soaking wet Martine McCutcheon looks ‘stunning’ as she poses poolside in sexy swimsuit

It was a position she seemed to enjoy and later she fell pregnant.

However unfortunately she had a miscarriage and they lost their baby, and decided to move on.

Tiffany settled down with Tony Hills – only disaster would strike when she found out he was having an affair with her own brother.

Martine McCutcheon Shares 5-Year-Old Son's Moving Masked Singer Reaction | This Morning

Martine McCutcheon has forgotten soap role

And worst came when she slept with Grant and discovered she was pregnant again.

After much drama, it emerged Grant was the father.

Baby Courtney comes along and the couple split, get back together, split again and then get back together.

Read more: Martine McCutcheon tearful on Instagram as she shares emotional news about her son

However Grant had had an affair with Tiff’s mum Louise at this time and it all comes out in a classic soap tradition of a baby monitor.

Horrified Tiffany packs a bag and flees – but ends up falling down the stairs and into a coma.

When she eventually wakes up, she frames Grant for attempted murder in an effort to flee the country with baby Courtney.

And then, as fans know, things go horribly wrong, Grant snatches the baby, Tiffany runs after him and ends up dead under Frank Butcher’s car.

After all that it was a wonder actress Martine had the energy to launch a pop career.

And after a hit or two she had her perfect moment and landed a role in Love Actually becoming an enduring Christmas favourite for decades to come.

Echo Beach - Opening Titles - 2008

What was Echo Beach about?

However she was later tempted back into Soapland by ITV.

In 2008 the channel launched a big project with a whole new soap called Echo Beach.

And with it they had a mock behind-the-scenes show called Moving Wallpaper, which featured the cast of Echo Beach playing versions of themselves.

Centred around Martine’s character Susan Penwarden, Echo Beach also saw Neighbours legend Jason Donovan take a leading role.

Martine McCutcheon led the cast of Echo Beach (Credit: ITV/YouTube)
Martine McCutcheon led the cast of Echo Beach (Credit: ITV/YouTube)

He played Susan’s ex Daniel Marrack who returned to the town of Polnarren to run a beach cafe with his children.

The show also starred legends like Coronation Street icon Johnny Briggs.

It was the brainchild of EastEnders writer Tony Jordan.

Read more: Martine McCutcheon toasts to ’new beginnings’ as she shares exciting family news

Meanwhile Moving Wallpaper starred  Ben Miller as Echo Beach executive producer Jonathan Pope.

Come Dine with Me voiceover legend Dave Lamb also starred as scriptwriter Carl Morris.

Sadly Echo Beach was cancelled after one series, but Moving Wallpaper returned for another go with another fake soap – though that was never made.

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Soap Contributor
Soap Contributor