Kieron Richardson has opened up about his past struggle with body image.
The Hollyoaks star - who plays Ste Hay in the hit soap - said he dreaded posing for the show's calendars as the "horrendous" experience heightened his lack of body confidence.
Recalling his past struggle of not being able to put on weight, Kieron, 30, said he went as far as asking the photographers to keep his body out of the image.
During a Facebook Live in light of the show's 25th anniversary, Kieron exclusively told Mirror Online: "It used to be horrendous for me. When I knew that time was coming up - I think we used to shoot it in April - and I've never been known for having a body."
Kieron says he tried everything from eating more to lifting more weights in a bid to pile some pounds on, but nothing worked for him.
The father-of-two explained: "I've always been just skinny and hated being skinny. I tried to go to the gym but wasn't getting successful. I tried to eat more, but was just a naturally skinny person.
"I'm getting into my thirties now and when I go to the gym now it's kind of helping me put on a little bit of size."
The actor says his self confidence plummeted as he hinted that appearances and looks were more important than actual acting abilities back in the day.
He added: "So I think when we used to do the calendar I was like, 'Please can I just do the headshot?'"
He added: "Obviously the show was renowned for having a body like that or what I thought back in the day, and that's what people's perception of it was.
"But then when you actually work there and watch it, it's now more about the actual talent rather than what people look like."
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