Shana Swash was once a regular on our screens as part of the Miller family in Walford, but Joe Swash’s sister looks very different since her soap exit
Demi was in the soap for two years
An EastEnders child star appears completely transformed 19 years following her departure from the soap as she graced our television screens once more.
Now aged 35, Shana Swash is most recognised for portraying troubled teenager Demi Miller on the BBC drama between 2004 and 2006.
The performer featured in numerous hard-hitting plotlines including challenging narratives surrounding teenage pregnancy and drug misuse.
During that period, Shana represented one of the youngest figures within the Miller household, a fresh family unit introduced to shake up proceedings in Walford.
She appeared alongside her real-life sibling, Joe Swash, who portrayed her on-screen brother Mickey Miller.
Shana made her mark as Demi Miller between 2004 and 2006 on EastEnders(Image: BBC)
The brother-sister duo swiftly captured viewers’ hearts, displaying genuine on-screen rapport. Nevertheless, Shana’s soap journey concluded in 2006 when producers decided to axe her character.
Her departure coincided with co-star Gerry Cowper’s exit, who had played her on-screen mum Rosie Miller, reports the Mirror.
A BBC spokesperson commented at the time: “Gerry and Shana have been enormous assets and go with our best wishes.”
In contrast to her brother Joe, who subsequently triumphed on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and established himself as a recognisable personality on British television, Shana opted to explore alternative career routes beyond acting.
Shana Swash used to appear on BBC EastEnders(Image: BBC)
Shana recently featured as a guest on Stacey and Joe, a BBC reality programme that explores the everyday domestic life of Joe Swash, his spouse Stacey Solomon, and their combined family at their Essex home, affectionately dubbed Pickle Cottage.
In one episode from the second series, Shana is captured on camera observing: “Joe is almost on the level of the children.”
Casie concurred, stating: “Yeah, 100%. But that’s what’s great about him. I think that’s why our children love him as well, because it’s fun. He’s like that all the time, and if he tries to be strict, it doesn’t really work.”
Shana has stepped away from the limelight(Image: BBC)
This touching moment showcases the tight bond amongst the Swash family members and gives audiences an insight into their personal lives away from the cameras.
For Shana, appearing on Stacey and Joe represents her first television role since a brief stint on Doctors in 2018.
Whilst she hasn’t completely stepped away from showbusiness, having appeared in programmes like Top Boy and the movie Love Without Walls, she has opted for a quieter existence in recent times.
Shana has embarked on an entirely different path, now co-running a coffee establishment alongside her partner Nick Jones, a skilled carpenter.
The pair have since become parents to their first child, a daughter called Kitty Frances. Swash Jones made her arrival in December 2023, marking the beginning of a new phase in Shana’s life beyond the spotlight.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am