Suranne Jones has hit out at Coronation Street. claiming she was coerced into taking part in sexy photo shoots early in her acting career.
The 41-year-old actress was just 21 when she joined the cast to Corrie back in 2000 where she played Karen McDonald for four years.
However, now older and wiser, she has reflected on her early soap life and suggested she felt pressured into taking part in sexy photo shoots by show bosses.
Suranne goes on to suggest all soaps are similar of similar exploitation of their younger actresses during a chat on the Give Me Strength podcast.
The BAFTA winning star said: “The first few months was about me being whisked off and put in a bikini in Barbados...
"At this time I’d only been on one holiday abroad to Spain with my mates. I was like, ‘Wow’.
“Then I was on a celeb special for Stars In Their Eyes, then put in a magazine with a bra and knickers on. They'd give you a glass of champagne to get you a little loose
“I remember thinking it was fun at first but I realised it wasn't what I signed up to.”
Suranne went on to suggest she regretted the early photoshoots she was talked into undertaking.
She said: “There are some dodgy photos out there, there's one in a diner where I am squirting ketchup and mustard.”
She also suggested there was a culture of exploiting actresses in a similar fashion across the world of soaps, stating: “I don't think Coronation Street was alone in that.
"I think all of the soaps used their girls in that way.”
After quitting Corrie in 2004, Suranne has gone on to carve out an impressive acting career – snagging a Best Actress BAFTA in 2016 for her titular tole on Doctor Foster.
She also won praise and acclaim for her role as historical figure Anne Lister in the 2019 drama Gentleman Jack.
A second series of the period drama was commissioned in May last year.
Mirror Online has contacted a representative for Coronation Street for comment.
