Charlene Brooks (* May 3, 1981 in Barmouth, Wales) is a Welsh actress best known for playing the role of Janine Evans (nee Butcher) in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1999 to 2004. She will resurrect the role for four episodes in 2008.

Acting career

Brooks' other Television credits include appearances in episodes of The Bill, London's Burning, Jonathan Creek and The Demon Headmaster.

In a break from EastEnders in spring 2003, Brooks appeared in a Bill Kenwright production of the play Office Games at the Pleasance Theatre in London opposite fellow Soap Opera Alumnus Adam Rickitt.

Brooks had a chance to show off her versatile acting skills whilst working at EastEnders as she portrayed Janine in a number of harrowing storylines involving Drug Addiction, Prostitution and Murder. She filmed a behind the scenes show for the BBC "The rise and fall of Janine Butcher" which aired in February 2004. It showed the history of the character Janine Butcher and also followed Brooks as she filmed her most dramatic scenes involving the murder of Barry Evans.

In May 2004, Brooks left EastEnders; after her character Janine was wrongfully arrested for the murder of Laura Beale (Hannah Waterman). Her character's Trial took place 18 months later, but she did not appear on screen. At the 2005 British Soap Awards, Charlie won the award for Best Exit.

Since leaving EastEnders, Brooks has appeared in the ITV1 drama The Golden Hour, the BBC medical drama Casualty, the 2005 BBC adaptation of Bleak House, the independent film Take 3 Girls which is yet to be released, an episode of ITV's Heartbeat and as the voice of Mary Dixon for the BBC Radio adaptation, Dixon of Dock Green.

In December 2005, Brooks released the work-out DVD Charlie Brooks - Before and After Workout, which rapidly became the biggest-selling fitness release in the country.

During 2005, she had been approached by EastEnders bosses to return as Janine for a trial, as they had successfully approached Janine's father Frank (played by Mike Reid) for a brief comeback. She rejected the offer and the trial was filmed without her, instead focusing on the activities outside of the court. According to press reports, EastEnders "bosses" offered her the chance to return during the summer of 2006, but she turned the offer down, however in May 2007, Brooks admitted that she might one day return to EastEnders "if the time was right". However, the character will return in 2008 for four episodes for the funeral of Frank Butcher.

In May 2006, Brooks played Beverley Allitt to much critical acclaim in a BBC1 docu-drama called Beverley Allitt: Angel of Death. She has most recently appeared in a short run of Our Country's Good at the Liverpool Playhouse and will shortly be seen in the second series of both Robin Hood and Love Soup for the BBC.

The Sun announced on 5th November 2007 that Charlie will make her return to EastEnders in March 2008 as Janine Butcher. Janine will make a week long return for her dad Frank's funeral.