Patsy Palmer's LA lifestyle is a far cry away from EastEnders - Who is she married to and does she have kids?

Patsy Palmer has played Bianca Jackson in the BBC soap Eastenders on and off for over 30 years. The actress, 51, first appeared on our TV screens as feisty redhead Bianca way back in 1993 when she was just 21.

Patsy was best known for several controversial storylines, her friendship with Tiffany Mitchell (Martine McCutcheon) and of course her marriage to Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen). Fans will delighted to hear that Patsy Palmer is set to make a return to Walford this Spring but her real life looks very different to the east end of London.

Who is Patsy Palmer married to?  

In 2014 Patsy Palmer relocated her family to the sunshine state of California and live in Malibu near LA. Patsy moved over with her second husband, former cab driver, Richard Merkell. The couple were friends for many years before they started dating and eventually marrying in 2000.

The actress credits her husband for getting her through the drug and alcohol battles she faced during her 20s. She also said on her Instagram that she missed her husband and family very much whilst she was back in the UK filming Dancing On Ice in 2023. Pasty was also married to film director Nick Love from 1998 to 2000. 

Does Patsy Palmer have kids? 

Patsy and Richard share three children together Fenton, Emilia and Bertie. Patsy also has an older son Charley Palmer Rothwell from a previous relationship with Alfie Rothwell. 

Are Patsy Palmer's children famous? 

Following in his mother’s footsteps Charley is also a well known actor. He has starred in several blockbuster movies including Legend, Dunkirk and The Darkest Hour. Fenton and Emilia are both working as models and are signed up to the The Dragonfly Agency.

What does Patsy Palmer do in Malibu? 

We all know her as Bianca from EastEnders but Patsy Palmer has created a very different life in the US. The actress also DJ’s at a rooftop bar in Santa Monica on Friday nights and spends her morning meditating. 

Speaking on the How To Own The Room podcast Patsy described her life in LA, she said “It is amazing. We live right opposite the beach. I do a lot of meditation and I just feel like every day is an opportunity to dig deeper into yourself, which is the hardest thing for you to do.”

Natalie Dixon is NationalWorld’s Lifestyle reporter. If you liked this article and want to read more about celebrities, fashion and beauty you can follow Natalie Dixon on X (Twitter) here.