Mona Hammond, who has died aged 91, was a trailblazer for black actors in Britain who co-founded the Talawa theatre group before finding television stardom in EastEnders as Blossom, matriarch of the Jackson clan.
Her EastEnders character moved in with her grandson, Alan, and his partner, Carol, at Dot Cotton’s former Albert Square house in 1994. While giving support to Alan (Howard Antony) as he went through a string of jobs and to Carol (Lindsey Coulson) whenever she needed a sympathetic shoulder to cry on – as well as Carol’s four children – Blossom worked at the Bridge Street cafe alongside Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth).
