Four years ago, Patsy Palmer made the bold decision to move her brood across the pond and start afresh in Malibu, LA, with her cabbie husband Richard Merkell.
Now, the actress-turned-DJ is living the high life, and three of her children – Charley, 25, Fenton, 17, and Emilia, 16 – are almost as famous as she is, while seven-year-old Bertie is yet to pave his way in the industry!
From Brighton beach to Malibu mansion
Patsy and her family lived in Brighton, where they regularly enjoyed trips to the beach, until the big move in 2014. Her LA mansion sits on the beachfront and has a pool. Patsy, 46, got her first taste of life in the US when she stood in for GMTV’s Lorraine Kelly, presenting Lorraine Live for a week in 1999 from Miami.
From soap star to international DJ
Patsy played feisty Bianca Jackson in EastEnders from 1993-1999, before reprising the role in 2008. In 2014, she ditched acting to move to Malibu. Once known for her clashes with long-suffering ‘Rickaaay’, now she’s a well-established DJ in the US. How things change!
From Walford pals to A-list friends
After EastEnders, Patsy remained close friends with Sid Owen and Danniella Westbrook. But now she’s most likely to be hanging out with her new A-list friends, who include Cindy Crawford and Mary J Blige.
From geeky kids to Hollywood stars
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in Patsy’s household, as three of her four children are now in front of the camera. Her eldest son Charley stayed in the UK to pursue his acting career. Fenton and Emilia are both models out in LA.
From Cindy’s cafe to beach-side coffees
Having played Bianca – who used to work in Walford’s Cindy’s cafe – it’s no wonder Patsy enjoys a coffee or two. But her view is quite different from rainy Walford, as she regularly enjoys a latte overlooking the beach. ‘Same coffee, different life,’ she wrote on Instagram.
From addictions to clean eating and yoga
The mum-of-four has admitted to having been a drug and alcohol addict and revealed that during her 1990s stint on EastEnders she often turned up ‘high’ or ‘horribly hungover’. Now her lifestyle couldn’t be more different, as she regularly takes part in sunrise yoga and hosts ‘womanhood breakfasts’.