Michelle Collins felt "embarrassed" to tell 'Coronation Street' bosses she was going through the menopause when she started out on the soap.
Michelle Collins
The 57-year-old actress wanted to tell the producers she was feeling "a bit anxious" when she took on the role of Stella Price in the ITV soap in 2011, but she didn't feel as though she could say anything because it is a "taboo subject".
She said: "When I first started on 'Coronation Street', I would like to have said I'm going through the menopause and I'm feeling a bit anxious, so bear with me, but I felt embarrassed.
"It was a taboo subject."
Michelle was also starring in a play when she started playing Stella - who she portrayed until 2014 - and felt "stressed" and "extremely tired" doing both jobs and going through the menopause.
She is quoted by the Daily Mirror newspaper as saying: "I think when I was about 49, I had just started a play in Bolton and I was on 'Coronation Street' at the same time.
"I just remember feeling stressed, very anxious and extremely tired.
"I wasn't sure if it was down to the new job, as 'Coronation Street' was a big thing, or because both my new roles crossed over a bit.
"I didn't have hot flushes, but I did feel very overwhelmed by everything I was doing."
Michelle recently admitted she would stay in 'Corrie' "forever" if she was ever asked to return to the soap, but she wouldn't be heading back to the cobbles anytime soon.
She exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "Never say never, but I wouldn't go back at the moment.
"I like doing different things. I'm a bit of a chameleon and I think if I went back I would probably stay forever.
"So not yet, not yet."
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