A former EastEnders child star looking worlds away from her Walford days 19 years after her soap exit

An EastEnders child star looks unrecognisable 19 years after her soap exit as she made a return to our TV screens. Shana Swash, now 35, is best known for her role as troubled teen Demi Miller on the BBC hit soap between 2004 and 2006.

The actress was involved in a number of dramatic storylines including gritty storylines about teenage pregnancy and substance abuse.

Back then, Shana was one of the youngest members of the Miller family, a new clan brought in to stir up life in Walford. She starred alongside her real-life brother, Joe Swash, who played her on-screen brother Mickey Miller.

The siblings quickly became fan favourites, with their natural chemistry on screen. However, in 2006, Shana’s time on the soap came to an end when her character was written out of the show.

She left alongside co-star Gerry Cowper, who played her on-screen mother Rosie Miller.

An EastEnders spokesperson at the time said: “Gerry and Shana have been enormous assets and go with our best wishes.”

Unlike her brother Joe, who went on to clinch victory on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and become a familiar face on British TV, Shana chose to pursue different paths outside of acting.

Shana recently made a guest appearance on Stacey & Joe, a BBC reality series that delves into the daily family life of Joe Swash, his wife Stacey Solomon, and their blended family at their Essex residence, fondly known as Pickle Cottage.

In one episode from the second series, Shana is seen in a piece to camera remarking: “Joe is almost on the level of the children.”

Casie agreed, adding: “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.”

This heartwarming exchange highlights the close-knit relationship between the Swash siblings and offers viewers a peek into their private lives beyond the television screen.

For Shana, Stacey & Joe marks her first on-screen appearance since a minor role in Doctors back in 2018. Although she hasn’t entirely abandoned the entertainment industry, having featured in dramas such as Top Boy and the film Love Without Walls, she has chosen a more subdued lifestyle in recent years.

Shana has taken on a completely different journey as she now co-owns a coffee shop with her partner, Nick Jones, a talented carpenter.

The couple have since welcomed their first child, a daughter named Kitty Frances. Swash Jones arrived in December 2023, heralding a fresh chapter in Shana’s life away from the limelight.