Julie Anne Merkell (née Harris; born 26 May 1972), known professionally as Patsy Palmer, is an English actress and DJ, known for her roles as Natasha in the children's drama series Grange Hill (1985–1987), and Bianca Jackson in the BBC soap opera EastEnders which earned her the British Soap Award for Best Actress.

Bianca's on-screen marriage to Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) in 1997 drew one of the biggest soap audiences ever — more than 22 million.

[6] She remained in the role for six years, but left the show in 1999 to spend more time with her family and to concentrate on other projects.

[9] However, in October 2007 the BBC announced that Palmer would be returning to the soap as a full-time character; she made her comeback on-screen in April 2008.

[13][14][15] In February 2020, it was announced that Palmer would be reprising her role as Bianca again, with scenes set to air later in the year.

[18] Palmer made a guest appearance on the Christmas Day 1993 episode of Top of the Pops introducing 'No Limit' by 2 Unlimited with presenter Mark Franklin.

In the first episode of the series she was shown at a beauty salon where she got her hair shampooed and interviewed Lindsey Coulson, who played her fictional mother Carol Jackson in EastEnders.

On stage she has starred in the one-woman musical Tell Me On A Sunday, which toured the UK, and played in London's West End.

In 2005, Palmer took part in BBC's Strictly Come Dancing show, to raise money for the Children in Need fund.

In February 2007, she was a jury member on the BBC programme The Verdict, where various celebrities ruled on a contemporary and controversial case, based on evidence and examples from real life.

[23] In January 2020, Palmer appeared as the Butterfly on the ITV reality singing competition The Masked Singer.

[25] Palmer is close friends with Sid Owen (Ricky Butcher) and Danniella Westbrook (Sam Mitchell).

[27] For 10 years, starting in 2004, she lived with her husband and children in Western Terrace and then Kemptown, Brighton, England.