Perkins was born Gillian Nessie Arnold to theatrical parents Dickie and Mitzi, who both had a successful career performing a cabaret/vaudeville act.
[citation needed] During the 1960s, Perkins was a teen pop star, a BBC thespian and the first compere of the cult TV show Ready Steady Go!.
She starred in stage musicals as diverse as Salad Days and Let My People Come, and appeared in episodes of Minder, The Sweeney, Rules of Justice and Nanny.
[4] Perkins was the leading lady in many West End cabaret clubs including The Latin Quarter, Blue Angel, The Celebrite, The Gaslight, The Directors Lodge, The Gargoyle, The Piano Bar and Madame Jojo's.
[6] In May 2011, it was announced by that Perkins would be joining the cast of BBC soap opera EastEnders as Rose, the estranged half-sister of Dot Branning.