Where is EastEnders’ original Chelsea Fox star now 16 years after quitting soap?
EastEnders' Chelsea Fox was originally played by Tiana Benjamin before Zaraah Abrahams took on the role
Chelsea Fox is a firm favourite on EastEnders – but where is the original actress now?
Chelsea made her debut on the long-running BBC One soap in 2006 as the daughter of Denise (Diane Parish) and half-sister of Libby (Belinda Owusu). Portayed by Tiana Benjamin, the character went on to play a part in several big storylines.
The character quickly became a hit with fans too and Tiana bagged several nominations for Sexiest Female at The Inside Soap Awards and British Soap Awards over the years.
However, in 2010, actress Tiana left the soap after four years. But where is she now? And what has she been up to?
Tiana’s EastEnders exit as Chelsea Fox
During her stint on EastEnders as Chelsea, Tiana was involved in some big soap moments. From her romances with the likes of Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) and Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), to her cocaine addiction, Chelsea’s first stint in Walford was not short of drama.
She was also sentenced to prison with her step-brother Deano Wicks (Matt Di Angelo) and discovered that her father Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet) was a murderer.
In 2010 though, Tiana announced her EastEnders exit. She told the Mirror at the time: “I have had an amazing time at EastEnders. And this has been a very difficult decision but now seems the right time to move on and leave Chelsea behind, even though she’s been such a fantastic character to play.”
And when the character was brought back in 2020, this time she was played by Zaraah Abrahams – who has remained there ever since.
Tiana’s TV roles
Since leaving EastEnders, Tiana has starred in many TV dramas. Fans of Tracy Beaker may recognise her as playing Bailey’s mum Alison in The Dumping Ground in 2016.
As well as her stints in EastEnders and Tracy Beaker spin-off The Dumping Ground, she has also popped up in dramas. In 2015 she made an appearance in Casualty, playing the role of Cheryl.
Likewise, in 2017, she appeared in medical drama Holby City, this time being cast in the role of Alice Dujon. And In 2011, Tiana starred in the film Fast Girls, alongside Lily James and Lenora Critchlow. More recently, she appeared in the 2019 films The Creatress and Absent.
Tiana isn’t active on social media, but has often made appearances at several Harry Potter comic cons over the years, as she played Angela Johnson in the Harry Potter movie franchise.
Tiana starred in The Goblet of Fire instalment in 2005 and also voiced the character in the video game adaptation. She reportedly left her role in the Harry Potter film series for her EastEnders role as Chelsea Fox.
