Pam St Clement

Pamela Ann Clements (born 11 May 1942), known professionally as Pam St Clement, is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Pat Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 12 June 1986 until 1 January 2012, with guest appearances in May 2016 and December 2025, thereby becoming one of the programme's longest-serving cast members.

St Clement's parents, Ann Tribe and Reginald Clements, married in 1940. Shortly after St Clement's birth in 1942, her mother died of tuberculosis, and she was put into foster care when her father remarried. St Clement subsequently grew up in various foster homes until she was taken in by a family who owned a farm in Devon.

She has commented: "I was very fortunate in the end. I was always being farmed off to holiday homes, then when I was just pre-teens I went down to Devon to some people who were very good at taking on youngsters, and what originated as a business arrangement became my home." St Clement's father rose to become the managing director of a toy manufacturer in London and was married five times. St Clement was sent to boarding school on the South Downs, where she was—by her own admission—"very naughty". She was active in the drama society at her school, but she originally had aspirations to become a veterinarian. However, this career proved unobtainable because she didn't pass Latin at school.

Instead she decided to become a teacher and enrolled at Rolle College in Exmouth (now part of the University of Plymouth). She worked in the teaching profession until her desire to act prompted her to attend drama school, the Rose Bruford College, and she eventually took up acting professionally. Her stage name was inspired by a street name in Islington – St Clement Street – where her parents resided at the time of their marriage. In July 2008, the University of Plymouth presented her with an honorary doctorate in education for her services to teaching. Commenting on her former job, she said she had not been a good teacher, so her career change was not a loss to the profession.

St Clement has worked extensively on the stage, in films and on television. Her acting career began in the 1970s, when she joined a small theatre company and she went on to have minor roles in programmes such as The Onedin Line (1972) and Follyfoot (1972). Her first big break came in 1974, when she was cast in an episode of TV prison drama, Within These Walls. Subsequent television credits have included: Van der Valk (1977); A Horseman Riding By as Meg Potter (1978); Emmerdale Farm (1980) as Mrs. Anne Eckersley; Thomas & Sarah (1980); Enemy at the Door (1978; 1980); Play for Today (1980); Minder (1980); Shoestring (1980); Dangerous Davies (1981); Angels (1981); as Frau Bodelschwingh in Private Schulz (1981); The Chinese Detective (1982); The Tripods (1984); Bottle Boys (1984); and Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (1986). She has also appeared in films, including roles in Doomwatch (1972), Hedda (1975), The Bunker (1981), Scrubbers (1983) and Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evil (1985). (1981) Portrayed Irish character relief Housing Association Manager Mrs Noreen Mullen accompanied with her trusted Yorkshire terrier dog Beeno Mullen in Southern TV Live Studio production: 'Together'.

In 1986, St Clement was cast in her most notable role to date—Pat Wicks, the troublesome former prostitute and former wife of Pete Beale (Peter Dean), in BBC's EastEnders (the show's producers wrote that the marriage had taken place more than 20 years before EastEnders was launched). St Clement's character was originally brought in on a trial basis for a period of three episodes. However the series' executive-producer, Julia Smith, decided to introduce her as a regular character. St Clement initially had reservations about committing to the role, commenting: "I couldn't envisage how this character, who creates absolute havoc everywhere she goes and is not at home with herself or with anybody else in the Square, could possibly fit in". However she was persuaded to continue by Smith, who said: "'We've only seen one layer of the onion skin—the defensiveness—now we'll start to peel away more and get to the vulnerability that lies behind it'." Pat went on to become one of the soap's longest running characters, appearing in 2,183 episodes.

She featured in a multitude of high-profile storylines, which included a total four marriages (two of which had happened before the show's launch) — most notably to Frank Butcher (played by Mike Reid) – numerous affairs, feuds and a spell in prison for drink-driving (which led to a pedestrian dying). In 2006, St Clement signed a £200,000 deal keeping her with EastEnders until at least 2008. As of April 2017, she was the third longest serving cast member at EastEnders surpassed only by Adam Woodyatt and June Brown. In 2012, St Clement won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards, previously having been won by her co-stars Wendy Richard, June Brown and Barbara Windsor.

In July 2011, it was announced that St Clement would be leaving EastEnders after 25 years. Of her departure St Clement said "I have enjoyed 25 and a half wonderful years in EastEnders creating the character of Pat but feel it's time to hang up her earrings. Leaving the EastEnders 'family' will be akin to a bereavement. But I'm looking forward to the other work and life opportunities that I will have the time to pursue." She filmed her final scenes in November 2011, and the character departed on 1 January 2012. She has since been associated with EastEnders and on 14 November 2014, St Clement reprised the role of Pat for a short stint for Children in Need after Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) knocks his head and sees the deceased women in his life. In February 2015, St Clement, alongside Windsor, took part in EastEnders: Back to Ours, which celebrated 30 years of the soap opera. St Clement and Windsor looked back on some of their characters' most infamous moments. On 17 May 2016, she reappeared as Pat, again playing opposite Windsor, for a few minutes as an imagined figure in conversation with the terminally ill Peggy Mitchell. St Clement also appeared at the EastEnders Meet and Greet event in June 2016.