Lindsey Coulson is back on screens tonight (February 18) starring in BBC’s Waterloo Road as new headteacher Dame Stella Drake – but who is her real-life husband?
The actress has been in the business for more than three decades – and is best known for playing Carol Jackson on EastEnders on and off from 1993 to 2015.
But away from the TV sets and shows, Lindsey’s had a rather colourful love life. Here, we’re taking a look back inside the TV star’s past romances…
Waterloo Road star Lindsey Coulson’s first marriage to husband Philip Chard
Lindsey’s first marriage was to showbiz agent Philip Chard. The couple were married from 1989 to 1996 and share a daughter, Grace, together.
In 1996, their marriage was hit with infidelity claims. It followed reports Lindsey had embarked on an affair with one of her EastEnders co-stars – something she has always denied.
It was alleged that her husband thought Lindsey was having a real-life affair with Michael French – who played her on-screen love interest David Wicks.
Lindsey shuts down affair claims
In 1998, Linsey addressed the rumours and firmly denied them: “Because our characters had an affair, they tried to make it a real-life one and that was nonsense.
Apparently two people of the opposite sex can’t go out together without it being an affair.
“He was a really good friend and we started on the show at the same time,” she added, as The Sun claims.
Lindsey went on: “Apparently two people of the opposite sex can’t go out together without it being an affair, which is a shame.”
Lindsey and second husband Harry Harris
Actress Lindsey went on to find love again with Harry Harris, the brother of Patsy Palmer – who plays Lindsey’s on-screen daughter Bianca Jackson in EastEnders.
As FreeLibrary reports, the pair met at a dinner party. But their relationship blossomed just as the affair claims made the headlines.
“Like everyone else in EastEnders, I had to get used to seeing stories about me in the papers every other weekend,” she previously said.
“But it was bizarre to be sitting there with Harry, reading about how we’d split up. In the end, all you can do is laugh and read that stuff as though it was about someone else. You can’t let it get to you, or it’d drive you mad.”
‘I love him more now than I did when I met him’
Lindsey and Harry tied the knot in 2002 and they have a daughter called Molly together.
Speaking about her 23-year marriage to Harry, she told Good Housekeeping previously: “I think I love him more now than I did when I met him. Just in terms of having grown really well together.
“It’s not hard work, although relationships can be. I was lucky enough to meet somebody who’s on the same page as me.”
Patsy Palmer on her relationship with sister-in-law Lindsey
EastEnders legend Patsy has also spoken out about her friendship with her sister-in-law Lindsey. The pair shared a screen as mum-and-daughter duo Bianca and Carol Jackson on EastEnders for years.
“Lindsey is lovely. We know each other so well. But I think we probably would even if we weren’t related, because we’ve worked together for such a long time,” she once said, as Daily Record reports.
“We have a great time doing Bianca and Carol’s big showdowns.”
Waterloo Road is on BBC One Tuesdays at 9pm.
So will you be watching Lindsey on Waterloo Road? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.