Josephine Crawford Melville (12 April 1961 – 20 October 2022) was a British actress, director and writer who was best known for starring in the television soap opera EastEnders.
[6] She also had roles on television in The Bill, Prime Suspect, Casualty[6] and Pie in the Sky, among others,[2] and in early 2022 she appeared in the music video for Ella Henderson's "Brave".
[6] In 2021, Melville held workshops across Essex as part of the Know Your Roots project on preserving the stories of black women's hair.
[6][8] In Southend-on-Sea, where she lived, she founded the South Essex African Caribbean Association[7] and organised the East Beach Festival.
[3][9] On 20 October 2022, Melville collapsed backstage after performing in a production of Natasha Gordon's play Nine Night at the Nottingham Playhouse.