Fans have seen the character struggling with extreme tiredness in recent episodes, and she will soon be diagnosed with the illness in a storyline that will rock Denise and her loved ones to the core.
Wadey said: "Well, those stories, as with Ravi's mental health journey, which Aaron [Thiara, actor] performed so incredibly, our show is really good and powerful when we can be true to life and tell those stories about what it's like to face a life-changing diagnosis.
"And we knew... Di Parish, 20 amazing years at EastEnders, that we wanted something that pushed her forward and really looked at Denise as a character; who is she? Who is Denise Fox after 20 years in our show? And it's a story that allows us to examine her, and having seen some of the early material, you can see just how incredible Di is going to be playing this, it's gonna be really, really strong and emotional story coming out."
Diane Parish as Denise Fox in EastEnders. BBC/Jack Barnes
The soap previously revealed that they are working with charity Blood Cancer UK on the storyline in a bid to portray it as accurately as possible, including exploring the impact of Denise's ethnicity on her medical journey.
Helen Rowntree, CEO of Blood Cancer UK, added: “It’s been a privilege advising the EastEnders team to ensure Denise’s storyline reflects the real experiences of people living with blood cancer and those who care for them.
"Blood cancers, which include leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, do not discriminate yet experiences and outcomes can vary significantly, including by ethnicity."
Denise and Jack's marriage is currently solid. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
She added: "Being Black and living with an aggressive blood cancer like acute myeloid leukaemia can bring additional challenges. We hope viewers gain a greater understanding of blood cancer’s impact and we’re pleased this issue is being highlighted on a powerful platform, helping make a ‘hidden’ cancer more visible."
Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
Lewis is the News and Trends Editor at Radio Times and leads our approach to news, reactive content, and serving audience demands and interests. An obsessive fan of television and film, Lewis is a Nicole Kidman fanatic with a side of passion for science-fiction, art-house cinema and the latest HBO drama. Lewis has a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Film Studies. After working in advertising, Lewis worked at The Mirror for three years in community management and SEO, showbiz, film and television reporting.
