Anita Dobson Reflects on Life After Marrying Brian May: ‘It Was the Best Decision I’ve Made’

Former EastEnders star Anita Dobson has opened up about the challenges and changes in her life after marrying Queen guitarist Brian May. Reflecting on her career and personal life, the 75-year-old actress shared her journey through the “ups and downs,” which included times of financial difficulty and concerns about her future in the industry, told the Express.

In a candid discussion about balancing her career with her new life as Brian’s wife, Anita revealed that her work opportunities became more limited after marriage. Speaking in 2021, she said, “There’s been difficult times where you’re trying to marry your career with your life.” She explained that the freedom she once had to take on any project became more complicated with the responsibilities of married life. “When you’re on your own, you’re free. You can do whatever you want. The choice is that then you can go, ‘yeah I will… I’ll go to Belgrade. I will. I’d love to do that play.'”

However, juggling her personal life and career proved challenging. During an appearance on the Keep Calm and Kerry On podcast, she spoke about the pressures of “keeping the home fires burning” while managing her new responsibilities. “Suddenly when you’ve got animals, a house, a husband, a life, a big life, it’s really tough,” she shared. Anita also reflected on the traditional roles that women often take on, saying, “Maybe in women still… we are the ones that really have to keep both going. For men, it’s a much simpler decision.”

Anita and Brian tied the knot in 2000, after meeting in the 1980s. Although they don’t have children together, Anita took on the role of stepmother to Brian’s three children from his previous marriage to Chrissie Mullen.

In earlier interviews, Anita admitted she was initially hesitant about marriage. In a 2016 conversation with Woman and Home magazine, she revealed, “I was afraid to marry Brian because I didn’t like the idea of being tied down.” She added, “Even when I met Brian in my mid-thirties, I didn’t actually see it on the cards for us. He was a huge rock star, and our lives were very different.”

However, after navigating the “hard stuff” in their relationship, Anita’s perspective changed. “One day, I said to him, ‘I’m ready.’ Two weeks later we were married. And doing it at 51? It was the best decision I’ve made,” she concluded.

Anita’s reflections highlight the balance between personal commitments and career ambitions, as well as the strength of her long-lasting partnership with Brian May.