Who is EastEnders' Martha Cope? Sandy Gibson actress’ age and famous parents revealed

23 November 2021, 07:25

By Heart

@thisisheart

Who plays Dotty Cotton's mum in EastEnders and what else has she been in?

Dotty Cotton was left worried sick when her mum Sandy Gibson vanished in EastEnders earlier this month.

But the 20-year-old (played by Milly Zero) was shocked when her estranged mum turned up in Walford again.

While Dotty is over the moon that Sandy has returned and tells her that she’s been saving up for rehab for her, Tom ‘Rocky’ Cotton (Brian Conley) isn’t so excited by her arrival.

But who is Sandy Gibson and what do we know about Sandy Gibson?

• Who is Anita Dobson? The star's age, marriage to Brian May and EastEnders character revealed
• Who is Rob Kazinsky and has he returned to EastEnders as Sean Slater?
• EastEnders fans recognise new character Aaron Monroe

Who plays Dotty Cotton’s mum in EastEnders?

Actress Martha Cope, 51, joined EastEnders as Sandy Gibson in September.

Caroline Pegg played the role in 2010, but her character was reprised over a decade later with a brand new face.

Speaking out about bagging a role in the BBC soap, Martha said: “I have watched EastEnders since it began and I’m beyond excited to join such an iconic show and having a great time playing Sandy.”

EastEnders Executive Producer Jon Sen added: “Martha is a brilliant addition to our cast – we’re excited to welcome her to Walford.

"To say Sandy has a chequered past is an understatement and it’s no secret that Dotty’s upbringing was marred by her parents.

"Sandy’s arrival catches Dotty off guard and she’ll be forced to confront everything she’s tried to leave behind.”

What else has Martha Cope been in?

TV fans may recognise Martha for starring in plenty of shows over the years, including Doctors, Men Behaving Badly, Peak Practice, Holby City and Family Affairs.

Who are Martha Cope’s parents?

Martha also comes from a famous family, as her parents are Renny Lister and Kenneth Cope.

Danny falls from plank in I'm A Celebrity challenge

Renny, 87, is now retired but previously starred in Coronation Street, Grange Hill, Bowler and Dixon of Dock Green.

She also had roles in films The Curse of the Werewolf (1961), A Touch of the Other (1970) and Personal Services (1987).

Between 1961 and 1966, Kenneth Cope also starred in Coronation Street as Jed Stone and later returned in 2008.

He also played Tom Savage in The Bird Who Knew Too Much episode of The Avengers and had roles in two Carry On films.