“Oooh Pat Butcher would suit those”

An avid EastEnders fan who sent Pat Butcher iconic earrings she wore on the show is finally meeting the actress.
Dee Mackenzie, who supplied Pat Butcher with her earrings (Pic by Joe & James Rigby) SUS-150903-163246001Dee Mackenzie, who supplied Pat Butcher with her earrings (Pic by Joe & James Rigby) SUS-150903-163246001
Dee Mackenzie, who supplied Pat Butcher with her earrings (Pic by Joe & James Rigby) SUS-150903-163246001

Dee Mackenzie, 62, from Burgess Hill, worked for a fashion jewellery company in the 80s.

“We went out buying a big range of jewellery from all over the world,” she said.

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“We volunteered to do it, if we thought oooh Pat Butcher would suit them, we sent them to the studio.

“They sounded delighted, so we carried on sending them in.

“We weren’t contracted, we just sent them for fun.”

After reminiscing with friends about seeing their jewellery on the Albert Square star, Dee decided it was about time she met actress Pam St. Clement.

But the closest book signing she could find was in Milton Keynes.

“I emailed to see if she was planning any near Brighton,” she said.“They replied saying ‘we told her who you are, and she wants you to know she will be in Waterstones in Brighton on the 14th of March’.

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“I am finally going to meet her. I really am looking forward to it, it’s going to be exciting!”

Dee didn’t save any copies of the earrings, and many were one off pairs.”Some were clip on, as it’s easier for the wardrobe, there were cluster earrings, turquoise, silver, tortoise shell, amber, lots of different types,” she said.

She also sent the actress pink triangle earrings and pearls. Pat Butcher was renowned for her outlandish earrings until the character died of cancer on the show in 2012.

Actress Pam St. Clement has since donated the oversized jewellery to charity.

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Dee said she has been an ‘avid’ fan of EastEnders since it first aired in 1985, and she soon started sending the jewellery commission free, despite her company selling jewellery to many high street brands.

And she still owns ‘loads’ of costume jewellery.

Dee would request samples of any earrings she deemed suitable, and send them to the BBC. And 30 years after she started her generous search, she is meeting her idol.

“I am just going to ask her to sign my book and just let the chat flow naturally,” Dee added.

Pat was one of the longest serving characters on EastEnders, for 25 years and six months.

Her earrings were such a trademark of the character that Pam’s autobiography is titled ‘The End Of An Earring’.