A former 'EastEnders' star has claimed "nobody looked after the younger actors" like Danniella Westbrook and Paul Nicholls during her time on the show.
Former EastEnders Jacqueline Leonard has claimed 'nobody looked after the younger actors' like Danniella Westbrook and Paul Nicholls during her time on the show
Jacqueline Leonard portrayed Lorraine Wicks - the mother of Paul's character Joe Wicks - on the BBC One soap from 1996 to 1997, but she found it "difficult to watch" some of EastEnders' younger stars "getting into trouble".
She told The Sun newspaper's TV Biz column: "Nobody really looked after the younger actors like Paul and Danniella. They were getting themselves into trouble and as a mother I found that difficult to watch.
"I didn’t like what I was seeing. I’d had enough. I was leaving on a high but it was definitely time for me to go."
Jacqueline also claims there was a "hierarchy" on the show's set.
She said: "There was definitely a hierarchy on set and I just kept away from that. But after some time of watching that, it was time for me to move on."
But the star returned to the world of soaps this week, when she re-appeared in 'Coronation Street' as Linda Hancock, the mum of Izzy (Cherylee Houston) and Katy Armstrong (Georgia May Foote).
She added: "I’ve absolutely loved coming back to 'Corrie'.
"I’m continuously grateful this character keeps coming and going. I would love to stick around, and the storyline could go in so many different ways."
Jacqueline first played Linda in 2015 when she arrived on the cobbles as Owen Armstrong's (Ian Puleston-Davies) ex-wife and the mum of Izzy and Katy.
The character returned to Weatherfield this week in time for Katy's ex Chesney Brown's (Sam Aston) wedding to Gemma Winter (Dolly-Rose Campbell).
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