EastEnders Gavin star’s life – singer, Just Good Friends and death of ex-wife
EastEnders star Paul Nicholas, who played the show's Gavin Sullivan, has had an action-packed career spanning 40 years.
Nicholas, who played Sharon Watts' dad on the BBC soap, first stepped foot in Albert Square in August 2015 until his death a year later.
During his stint, Paul's shady character was at the centre of some heinous storylines, including the murder of Margaret Midhurst in 2016 and attempting to blow up the Mitchell residency in 2015.
READ NEXT: Paul Nicholas says surprise coincidence led him to taking Just Good Friends role
Outside of the soap, actor Paul became famous after appearing in Just Good Friends in the early 80s, playing Vincent Pinner.
The actor also had leading roles in films, including Stardust, and had released chart-topping pop hits in the seventies, including Grandma's Party.
Daily Star takes a look into the actor's extraordinary life and incredible career.
Just Good Friends
In the 1980s, Paul starred in what is undoubtedly one of his most famous roles, in the television sitcom Just Good Friends, written by Only Fools and Horses' John Sullivan.
It aired on the BBC from 1983-1986 and starred Jan Francis and Paul as Penny and Vince, two former lovers who accidentally meet five years again.
The talented star revealed that it was actually an unexpected coincidence that led him to land the part of Vince Pinner in the show.
He said: "John Sullivan just so happened to be in on the night I was on TV in this light romantic comedy [Little Rococo], and remembered me.
He added: "Most people would have gone, he's a pop singer isn't he? He doesn't do sitcoms.
"John recognised in me something that most people would have missed. I was very lucky to have got the part."
Music Career
In 1976, Paul embarked on a short-lived but high-profile pop career, with three Top 20 hits in the UK Singles Chart.
Paul also had a string of Top 10 records, including the catchy pop number Dancing with the Captain in 1976, and has released albums throughout the decades including Colours of My Life.
In the mid-1970s, he also hosted his own children’s television pop show.
With his incredible voice, he showcased his talents onscreen too in films including Tommy and alongside David Essex in the 1974 film Stardust.
He later returned to the stage, starring in musicals including Jekyll and Hyde, Fiddler On The Roof and 42nd Street in 1986.
More recently, in 2021, Paul published his 3 CD Boxset ‘Paul Nicholas Gold’.
Tragic death of ex-wife
While working on the theatre production Hair, he met his wife Linzi Jennings, whom he has been with for 50 years and married in 1984.
He was previously married to Susan Beuselinck from 1966 to 1970, with whom he had two children, Natasha and Oscar.
However, in 1977, he suffered a personal tragedy when Susan was killed in a car crash, saying to The Daily Express: “It was a devastating thing to have happened.
“I’d never lost anyone that close to me before. It affected me deeply.”
He added that Linzi helped him and the children cope with the loss of Susan, saying: “The children knew her well by then and she was fantastic in helping me through that difficult chapter.”
Together, Paul and Linzi have 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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