logo
Major EastEnders star almost quit acting until she landed role in BBC soap

Major EastEnders star almost quit acting until she landed role in BBC soap

Metro30-05-2025
Laura Doddington has revealed she considered a career change (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes)
EastEnders star Laura Doddington is already making quite the impact on Albert Square as her troubled character Nicola Mitchell.
Across the last month we've seen her try and conceal the fact she murdered son Harry's (Elijah Holloway) ex-girlfriend Shireen.
He subsequently learnt the truth in episodes that aired this week, and on the very same day it was revealed to husband Teddy (Roland Manookian) that he isn't the father of their youngest son Barney (Lewis Bridgeman).
After an explosive argument in front of their neighbours, the family returned home and resumed normality.
But something tells us it won't be long for things to kick off again!
The actress, 44, has appeared in Doctors, Casualty and Holby City, as well as in one episode of the BBC's flagship soap in 2009.
It wasn't until November when she stepped into Walford as a regular, and now the star has revealed she almost gave up the acting profession had she not landed the part.
Speaking to The Mirror, Laura explained that she considered retraining as a hairdresser.
She joined the cast as Nicola Mitchell in November (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Laura has already plunged into some huge storylines for her character (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes)
'The industry is hard at the moment' she said.
'Before this audition came through, I'd been looking at retraining to do something else, I've got a young kid. And that makes you think about their future and stability for them.
'I cut my son's hair and I'm sort of reasonably good at it, so I thought that might be an option.
'I was in Prime Suspect when I was in my 20s and The Midwich Cuckoos, but they weren't massive parts. I was beginning to think it might not be possible to have that lead role.'
She continued: 'Unfortunately in this industry when you get to over the age of about 35 and you haven't made a name for yourself, the interesting roles sort of start drying up. It's just the way that it is and the way the world is a little bit.
Follow Metro Soaps on WhatsApp and get all the latest spoilers first!
Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale?
Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews.
Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers!
'That's why I love soaps and continuing dramas as they champion individuals of all ages and put characters at the heart of storytelling.'
This weekend she faces competition from Coronation Street's Jacob Roberts, Emmerdale star Shebz Miah and Isabelle Smith, better known as Hollyoaks' Frankie Osborne in the Best Newcomer category at the British Soap Awards.
Metro will be heading down to the red carpet for the event, so keep an eye out for chats with your favourite soap stars.
If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we'd love to hear from you.
Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.
Arrow MORE: TV legend renews Coronation Street contract to stay on into next year
Arrow MORE: EastEnders star Kara Tointon, 41, undergoes double mastectomy
Arrow MORE: Hollyoaks star Paul Danan's death at 46 ruled misadventure
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Corrie star Alan Halsall looks in love as he attends Jack P Shepherd's wedding with new girlfriend
Corrie star Alan Halsall looks in love as he attends Jack P Shepherd's wedding with new girlfriend

Daily Mirror

time42 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

Corrie star Alan Halsall looks in love as he attends Jack P Shepherd's wedding with new girlfriend

Coronation Street actor Alan Halsall looks the picture of happiness as he walks hand in hand to Jack P Shepherd's wedding with new love Ellie Dolan Coronation Street star Alan Halsall looked like the cat that's got the cream as he proudly walked into Jack P Shepherds wedding ceremony hand in hand with his new girlfriend. The 42 year old father of one, looked dapper in a light grey suit which he teamed with a pale blue shirt and a yellow tie. ‌ Meanwhile, his new girlfriend Ellie Dolan opted for a sunshine yellow floor length summer dress which she teamed with a pair of gold heels and matching bracelet. The couple have been reportedly dating since May this year. ‌ And by attending the Celebrity Big Brother winner's wedding, it looks as though their budding romance appears to be going from strength to strength. ‌ At the time, a source explained to the Mirror: "Alan is really happy. Ellie is a great girl and they have lots of common. And she gets on so well with Sienna, which is so important to Alan. Sienna is his world." Alan and Ellie reportedly met at the Marriott Worsley Park Club, where Ellie works and Alan holds a membership. ‌ Alan is a fan favourite since he joined the ITV soap playing Tyrone Dobbs in 1998. And he has had a number of high profile relationships with his fellow co-stars prior to meeting Ellie. The actor has a daughter with Lucy-Jo Hudson who starred in the soap as Katy Harris. The pair tied the knot in 2009 but sadly split in 2018. The following year he started dating another co-star, this time it was Tisha Merry. The couple dating for five years before calling time on their relationship last year. ‌ Alan recently revealed that alongside being a father and an actor on a demanding soap, he also made the decision to undergo a body transformation. The star took on the challenge alongside his co-star Colson Smith, who has shed 10 st. ‌ And this included attending the gym three times a week, a strict diet and 2.5k on the treadmill, time on the rowing machine and cross trainer. In 2019, he told The Sun: "I've transformed a little bit myself and people have seen that. I like to come [to the gym). I have a pre-workout meal, I work out, then I have a post-workout meal or a swim and a steam." He has also combined his gym sessions with yoga that takes place in a heated room, also known as Bikram yoga. This is designed to expel toxins in the body through sweat.

Dannii Minogue set to make huge acting comeback alongside Coronation Street icon
Dannii Minogue set to make huge acting comeback alongside Coronation Street icon

Daily Mirror

time42 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

Dannii Minogue set to make huge acting comeback alongside Coronation Street icon

Dannii Minogue started her career working on one of Australia's biggest soaps - and now she is teaming up with other soap legends for a brand new four part drama Dannii Minogue is set to make a triumphant return to acting - decades after walking away from her breakout soap role. The 53-year-old Australian may be known to millions for her music and TV judging career. ‌ Dannii has enjoyed chart success with smash singles including Put the Needle on It, All I Wanna Do, and I Begin to Wonder. And she won over even more fans when she served as a judge on hit series The X Factor from 2007 until 2010. ‌ More recently, Dannii has been playing cupid for boys and girls looking for love on the dating shows I Kissed A Boy and I Kissed A Girl on the BBC. But before any of these career achievements were made, Dannii enjoyed a career as an actress - breaking into the spotlight before her older sister, chart superstar Kylie Minogue, 47. ‌ Back in 1989, Dannii drew attention for playing Emma Jackson in the Aussie soap Home and Away. She landed the role after playing smaller roles on an array of TV shows - and she remained on Home and Away until 1990. Now, 35 years later, the star is to make a return to acting in a new Channel 5 drama called Imposter. She will appear in the show opposite ex-Corrie actress Kym Marsh, 49. ‌ The four part drama is already filming in Victoria, Australia, and follows a family that is torn apart by betrayal and murder. Neighbours icon Jackie Woodburne, 69, who has played Susan Kennedy since 1994, also features as the leader of the family. A source told The Sun:"Bosses have spent weeks trying to get Dannii and she finally put pen to paper just days before filming started. It's been decades since she's acted on the small screen and everyone at the channel is over the moon that she was able to make the dates work because she loved the script. "She started filming last week after meeting her fellow cast members." The Mirror has contacted representatives of Dannii and Channel 5 for comment. ‌ Imposter was announced earlier this month - with TV fans already excited by the news that Kym and Jackie would be united together on screen by the show. And the new series was announced alongside news that a string of other shows are being made; Number One Fan, Missed Call and The Family Secret, to returning shows The Hardacres and The Teacher. ‌ Deputy Chief Content Officer and Head of Scripted at Paramount UK, Sebastian Cardwell, said last week: "This new slate of scripted commissions showcases the breadth and ambition of 5's storytelling. "From brand new thrillers and character-driven mysteries to the much-anticipated return of audience favourites, we're continuing to build a rich and distinctive drama offering. "These titles reflect our commitment to delivering compelling, accessible British drama that resonates with viewers across the UK. We look forward to announcing further titles in the coming months."

Strictly Come Dancing star opens up on new career move six years in the making
Strictly Come Dancing star opens up on new career move six years in the making

Daily Mirror

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Strictly Come Dancing star opens up on new career move six years in the making

Strictly Comes Dancing star Nicola Adams has revealed that she has been secretly taking acting lessons for the past six years and is set to make her debut next year She can already take pride in the fact that she is a two-time Olympic boxing champion and a star of Strictly Come Dancing. But now, Nicola Adams has lifted the lid on her new career move. ‌ The 42 year old former athlete has revealed that she has been taking acting lessons and is now set to make her acting debut in a film next year. Nicola is set to star in The Gun on Second Street alongside Poppy Delevigne and Bruce Willis' daughter Rumer. ‌ The film plot focuses on the escalating gun crime issue in America. Speaking about her new career, Nicola explained to The Sun: "I just want to work with people that are just as hungry as I am. I'm not one of those people that just show up and just expect everything to be fine." ‌ The former Strictly Come Dancing star who took the dancefloor by storm in 2020, added: "I put in the work, I put in the graft, just as I do as an athlete as well. I want to take it as far as I can in terms of how I grow as an actor. " Nicola told the publication that experiencing a vast array of roles and playing a variety of characters had allowed her to use what she has been taught over the years. ‌ The boxing champion has now undertaken a dark role for the upcoming film and she attributes her ability to delve into the personality of her character, which allows her to convincingly portray deep emotion. And when asked how she gets into character and show emotion, Nicola said that she tries to feel those emotions for herself and does not use things that make her feel sad to portray that emotion. ‌ Alongside her upcoming film, Nicola is also starring in a BBC children's show titled High Hoops, which is due for release in November. It seems that acting has been a life-long dream and now that she no longer competes in the boxing ring, Nicola is now free to pursue her dream. Explaining her new career, Nicola explained to the publication that she simply did not have time to think about acting while boxing. But she claimed that doing Strictly allowed her to try something new. ‌ In November of 2020, Nicola was forced to bow out of the BBC dancing show after her partner Katya Jones tested positive for Covid. At the time, the gold medalist said: "I'm absolutely devastated my Strictly journey has come to an end so soon. I had so much more to give and so many people to win this for! But I just want to say a huge thank you to Katya for being the best dance partner anyone could ask for." She added: "I'm gutted to be out of the competition but in these unprecedented times and as frustrating as it is, the Covid measures in place are to keep everyone safe, and I'm doing what I can to help." And you can certainly see why Nicola was left devastated as she had high hopes of winning the coveted glitterball. On the back of the announcement of her joining the 18th series of the show, she told the broadcaster in an interview: " I'm super competitive, so I'll definitely be putting 110% into my training, into performing, because I do want to win. Whether I'll be good enough to win is a completely different question!'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store