‘I was on one of the biggest TV shows in the 90s, but I ditched fame ten years ago for a very different job'
While Andrew Lincoln went on to star in the Walking Dead, and Jack Davenport appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean – their co-star chose a completely different career path.
Advertisement
8
This Life was a smash hit series for the BBC on its release in 1996
Credit: BBC
8
Daniela now works as a CBT therapist in Glasgow
Credit: BBC
8
As the straight-talking Anna, Daniela became a TV fan favourite
Credit: BBC
Now Daniela Nardini, who became a fan favourite on the show as straight-talking lawyer Anna Forbes on the show, is now a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT), living life away from the spotlight in Glasgow.
Daniela, now 57, was beloved as Anna on the smash-hit series, which launched in 1996 and followed a group of five friends as they navigated their twenties after graduating law school.
The series saw the gang living together in East London as they try to get their foot on the career ladder, with Anna having a love-hate relationship with Miles (Jack Davenport), whom she had a fling with while studying.
Daniela appeared in 32 episodes of the series, before reuniting with the cast in for TV movie
Advertisement
READ MORE 90S
The role won her a BAFTA for Best Actress in 1998.
While she continued to act – starring in multiple episodes of Waterloo Road, plus episodes of Vera and Lewis on her credit list – her performance career later took a backseat to events in her personal life.
In 2020, Daniela told the
She told the site: 'I went through a very dark period. Sometimes I wonder if it was all the emotional stuff I was going through that caused my cancer.
Advertisement
Most read in TV
Exclusive
'A couple of years down the road, I now feel as if I've emerged stronger and a better person really. Anna would be proud.'
However, she noted that her time on This Life feels like 'another life now', and doesn't miss the fame that came with it.
Trailer for 90s Brit drama series This Life
During her recovery, Daniela turned to art therapy to help her process her cancer diagnosis, admitting she 'lost interest in performing'.
'Not because I felt physically I was not right, but I just felt mentally and emotionally not ready,' she explained.
Advertisement
'Acting is a very personal thing for me, as I suppose it is for other actors. But you've only got yourself to use and if there's not much 'self' there to use, it's futile even trying. At its worst, I would have struggled to even remember a line.'
Proud of where she is in her life, Daniela said she came forward with her diagnosis in order to encourage others to get their breasts checked.
8
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Daniela turned to art therapy
Credit: Instagram
8
The star won a Bafta for her role in This Life in 1998
Credit: PA:Press Association
Advertisement
'It took a lot of pain and heartache to get here. But I'm a survivor and I feel strong,' she said.
'I feel like I'm finally the woman I wanted to be.'
After launching her CBT practice from her home in Glasgow, Daniela explained that she felt being an actress helped her understand people on a more fundamental level.
'I have worked as an actress for over 35 years. This has been an invaluable education for me to study what it is to be human and how we can all suffer at times and feel misunderstood and lonely,' she wrote on her psychologist bio.
Advertisement
'I myself have struggled at times. My practice involves helping you gain insight, clarity and believe it or not humour at times. I don't shock easily so I won't judge.'
8
This Life launched the career of some of the UK's biggest stars
Credit: BBC
8
Daniela credits her acting career for helping her understand people with her new life path
Credit: Meridian
8
The gang briefly reunited for a 10-year anniversary special
Credit: BBC
Advertisement
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Bob Vylan no longer playing Manchester festival after Glastonbury controversy
Punk rap duo Bob Vylan will no longer play at a festival in Manchester this weekend after a controversial appearance at Glastonbury. The group were due to headline the Saturday slot at Radar Festival but no longer appear in the line-up. It comes as British police launched an investigation after rapper Bobby Vylan led crowds in chants of "death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)" during their livestreamed performance at the Somerset music festival last weekend. A statement posted on Radar festival's Instagram account said: "Bob Vylan will not be appearing at Radar festival this weekend." It has since updated its website, changing the Saturday slot to "Headliner TBA" (to be announced). In response, the group shared the festival's statement on their Instagram story, adding the caption: "Silence is not an option. We will be fine, the people of Palestine are hurting. Manchester we will be back." The rap group had issued a statement on Tuesday claiming they were being "targeted for speaking up" after Avon and Somerset police began its investigation. The BBC has also faced criticism for livestreaming the set and has since apologised, describing the chants as "antisemitic sentiments" that were "unacceptable". It later emerged BBC director-general Tim Davie was at Glastonbury while the performance was being livestreamed. A BBC spokesperson said: "The director-general was informed of the incident after the performance and at that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage." The group have since been banned from entering the US, ahead of their tour, with deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau revoking the duo's visas for their "hateful tirade at Glastonbury". They have also been pulled from their upcoming performance at a German music venue. Bob Vylan are expected to perform at the Boardmasters surfing and music festival in Newquay, Cornwall, in August. The group was formed in Ipswich in 2017, and are known for addressing political issues in their albums including racism, masculinity and class. Bobby Vylan is the stage name of Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, according to reports, while his bandmate drummer uses the alias Bobbie Vylan.
The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Full list of BBC shows off air for Wimbledon – is your favourite getting the axe?
LOTS of fan favourite BBC shows are facing schedule shake-ups over the next few weeks as Wimbledon continues to dominate the Beeb. The 4 Wimbledon has caused lots of your favourite daytime shows to be taken off air Credit: PA 4 Popular series Escape To The Country is one of the shows affected Credit: BBC 4 Pointless has also been taken off air while Wimbledon is on Credit: BBC 4 EastEnders is now off air for eight days after being rocked by schedule chaos Credit: BBC Every year, as Wimbledon is aired on the BBC, regular shows find themselves either bumped or subject to a schedule change. If you are wondering how this affects some of your daytime shows, it's been revealed that BBC One shows Escape to the Country, Garden Rescue, Bridge of Lies, and Pointless have been taken off air while the competition continues. Over on BBC Two, The Edge, Lightning , Unbeatable, and Murder, Mystery and My Family have been also cancelled. Weatherman Walking, Hidden Treasures of the National Trust , Flog It, Richard Osman's House of Games and Robson Green's Weekend Escapes, have all also be pulled to make way for Wimbledon. Read More on the BBC All of the above BBC shows will return on Monday, July 14, once the tennis tournament has concluded. The One Show, which typically airs at 7pm on weeknights, is also off air to coincide with Wimbledon and the show's summer break. The popular evening show has been off air since June 30, and is expected to return on July 28. Revealing the news, host next four weeks. Most read in News TV "We'll be back on Monday, July 28th, but there's plenty to enjoy like Wimbledon and the Euros ." EASTENDERS SCHEDULE Two-time champion Petra Kvitova, 35, bursts into tears after ending Wimbledon career in worst possible way The Sun previously revealed how This week, the long running soap was switched from its regular BBC One slot onto sister channel, BBC Two. Despite usually airing Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on the main BBC channel, fans instead were given two episodes on Monday and Tuesday. Following yesterday's double-bill (July 1), fans will now have to go a whole eight days before getting their next fix of Albert Square action. EastEnders won't air again until July 9. SOAP CHAOS - When Can You Watch? EastEnders Monday 30 June - BBC Two 7pm AND 7:30pm Tuesday 1 July - BBC Two 7pm AND 7:30pm Wednesday 9 July - BBC Two 7pm AND 7:30pm Emmerdale Monday 30 June - ITV1 - 7:30pm Tuesday 1st July - ITV1 - 7pm (Hour-Long) Wednesday 2nd July - ITV1 - 7:30pm Coronation Street Monday 30 June - ITV1 - 8pm (Hour-Long) Wednesday 2nd July - ITV1 - 8pm (Hour-Long)
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
EastEnders cancelled tonight – and won't be a new episode for almost a week
EASTENDERS has been cancelled tonight again as the soap struggles in the schedules against sport. The BBC soap has been shifted away from its usual primetime BBC One slot of 7.30pm to iPlayer and BBC Two screenings for the duration of Wimbledon. 2 EastEnders is off air for eight days during the chaos Credit: BBC 2 Emmerdale and Corrie are also affected by the changes Credit: ITV But that means that all of this week's episodes have already aired - with no new editions until next week. Today also marks the last in the week for ITV soaps Emmerdale and Coronation Street. From Thursday the 3rd of July, fans will be left with no soap content for days with ITV and BBC pulling all their coverage across Thursday and Friday. Emmerdale and Coronation Street will both be bumped from air as a result of the UEFA Women's Euro matches. Read more on EastEnders But its fans of EastEnders that will suffer the most. Following the double-bill on Tuesday 1st July, they will have to go a whole eight days before getting their next fix of Albert Square action. The soap won't air again until the 9th July. And because of the UEFA women's matches, Corrie fans won't see their next episode until Thursday July 10 at 9pm. Most read in Soaps However ITV recently announced that the two soaps would be following in Hollyoaks' footsteps - by going on YouTube. EastEnders favourite fired after making shock discovery about Bernie Taylor Both Coronation Street and Emmerdale will now be available to watch on the streaming giant at the same time as on ITVX - 7am each morning. The big move comes ahead of ITV launching its soap power hour from January with reductions in episodes for both soaps to just five per week.
