Dennis Waterman performs in character in New Tricks
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Dennis Waterman’s daughter admits actor was ‘very calm’ when she visited him before his death

TV star passed away in May aged 74

Dennis Waterman, the late Minder and New Tricks star, died in May aged 74. A dad-of-two, his eldest daughter Hannah, 46, is known for her time on EastEnders.

His younger daughter, Julia, 43, also trained in the arts but has gone on to work in financial services.

Following Dennis‘ death from lung cancer earlier this year, Julia has spoken to the Daily Mail about their relationship.

Dennis Waterman looks to the side as Gerry Standing in New Tricks
Dennis Waterman in character as Gerry Standing in a scene from New Tricks (Credit: BBC)

Dennis Waterman’s daughter was estranged from her dad

In a lengthy interview, it is claimed Julia never much liked stepmother Rula Lenska, who her father left her mother Patrica Maynard for in 1981. Julia was three at the time.

Julia also recalls how she ‘shut her dad out’ for most of her teenage years. Instead she preferred a calmer life with her mother and stepfather in Norfolk, away from her father’s reportedly tempestuous relationship with Rula.

Read more: Dennis Waterman’s cause of death confirmed by his ex-wife Patricia Maynard

Julia also admits she was “jubilant” when her dad and Rula split after three years of marriage in 1990.

But after they reconciled, 18 months later when Julia was 13, she begged her father not to go back.

From there she had the “odd, stilted” conversation with Dennis on the phone but Julia was estranged from him for five years.

Dennis Waterman as Terry McCann in Minder
Dennis also memorably played Terry McCann in Minder (Credit: YouTube)

‘Difficult conversations’

Dennis’ divorce from Rula came while Julia was at university – as claims emerged Rula suffered physical abuse from the TV actor.

But Dennis’ new partner, Pam, who became his fourth wife, encouraged him and Julia to talk.

“We had some difficult conversations because I was angry with him and he felt horribly guilty,” Julia recalled.

However, their relationship improved as her father’s romance with Pam grew.

“We’d sit in his dressing room, chat, eat takeaways. Our relationship started to glue,” Julia added.

Dennis Waterman looks over his shoulder as Gerry Standing in New Tricks
‘Our relationship started to glue’ (Credit: BBC)

On seeing her dad in hospital

Julia decided not to go into acting and moved to Australia in 2006 instead. She returned to the UK three years ago and divorced from the father of her own daughter.

By this time, Dennis and Pam were living in Spain.

Following Dennis’ diagnosis in February of this year, Julia visited her dad in hospital.

He was very calm and very sweet.

She recalled: “When I last saw Dad in hospital, we talked… it wasn’t like in the movies where there’s some kind of big moment. It was just about being with each other. He was very calm and very sweet.”

Dennis Waterman reacts as Gerry Standing in New Tricks
Dennis Waterman ‘thanked his daughter for letting go of the past’ (Credit: BBC)

Julia added her father asked about whether she is happy with her current partner. He also advised finding someone “who knows who you are” is the “most important thing in life”.

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She also noted he rang her when she got home and thanked her for “making it okay”.

Julia admits she felt a lot was said by those few words and reflected on how, years previously, she had decided to forgive her father and accept who he was.

Julia believes he was thanking her for letting go of the past – and she is pleased they did.

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer