Lisa Maxwell thought 'Loose Women' would be the end of her acting career.
Lisa Maxwell
The 53-year-old actress is best known for her role as Detective Inspector Samantha Nixon in the police drama 'The Bill', but after leaving the programme in 2009, Lisa joined the 'Loose Women' panel but feared it would ruin any future jobs in acting.
Speaking to Inside Soap magazine, Lisa said: "I've always said doing that show wasn't a job - you don't put down 'Loose Woman' as an occupation on your passport form, do you? When I left the panel, it was the right move for me. It lulled me into a really lazy way of life as it was such a fun job.
"If I hadn't made that change then, I might never have gone back to acting."
Lisa decided to quit 'The Bill' to spend more time with her husband Paul Jessup and now-17-year-old daughter Beau after she lost two unborn babies - on separate occasions - in 2008 and was immediately snapped up by the ITV panel show.
Now the actress has a recurring role as Tracey Donovan in 'Hollyoaks' after starring as musical icon Judy Garland in the National Theatre production of 'End Of The Rainbow' and said it's hard for actresses to secure grittier parts as they get older.
She said: "It's so difficult working with such a wonderful young cast, and having to be such a miserable and horrible character to them all.
"As an actress, it's hard to age sometimes, but Tracey's look is right for the character.
"After playing Judy Garland, I really fancied a character who wasn't in any way pretty or attractive. And then I read this very negative story that quoted me saying the make-up department put rubbish in my hair for the part.
"But the truth is, we laugh about the fact that poor Tracey is in the make-up chair for 10 minutes."
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