EastEnders star Heather Peace and her wife thrill fans by welcoming a new family member after their breast cancer battles
EastEnders actress Heather Peace has delighted fans after introducing a new addition to her family.
The star, who has played Eve Panesar-Unwin on the BBC soap since 2021, has been at the centre of some of Albert Square’s most hard-hitting storylines.
Away from the show, Heather is married to Ellie Dickinson, and the couple share three daughters together — Annie Mary, born in April 2015, and twins Jessie and Lola, who arrived in June 2017.
The past year has been an especially tough one for the family, after Heather revealed that both she and Ellie had been diagnosed with breast cancer. In July, Heather confirmed she had undergone chemotherapy and surgery following her diagnosis in October last year.
A few months later, Heather revealed that Ellie had also been diagnosed with the same devastating form of cancer earlier in the year. Now, however, Heather has shared some heartening news, announcing that the family has welcomed a new addition — an adorable dog named Oti, according to the Mirror.
On Friday (December 26), Heather posted a touching Instagram video showing her daughters reading a letter about their new puppy, before meeting their new furry family member for the first time.
In her caption, Heather wrote: “This was a decision we’d been discussing since our dog Bungle passed away three years ago. About six weeks ago, I noticed @elliepeace01 researching dog breeds non-stop. I pretended I hadn’t noticed — she’s the responsible one who thinks things through carefully.
“She was ready, had done all the research, and had picked out this little guy. On December 23, we told the kids that Ellie was heading to her friends in London, when in fact she was driving up the M6 to stay in a hotel and collect our new family member, Otis, on Christmas Eve. We are overjoyed to welcome him into our family after a very challenging couple of years.”
“Our girls had been begging for another dog, and now seemed like the perfect time,” Heather wrote. “This little chap is a Shih Tzu/Dachshund mix — a schweenie! Ellie almost named him Todd, but this is Otis. He’s settled in wonderfully, and the girls are absolutely thrilled.”
Heather’s followers were quick to share their excitement in the comments. One fan wrote: “Oh, what a cutie! Congratulations on the newest member of your beautiful family! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas.”
Another added: “What a lovely way to tell the girls! They’ll cherish that memory forever. Welcome to your new family, Otis! You’re going to be so loved. Merry Christmas, Peace family!” A third commented: “Beautiful addition to a beautiful family.”
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