Corrie’s Paula: I couldn’t find work because of Brexit
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FORMER Coronation Street star Paula Lane has blamed Brexit for her struggling to find work after leaving the top soap.
The talented actress did not get any job offers after bosses killed off Kylie Platt back in 2016.
Paula, 32, has just landed her first major role in the UK tour of hit West End musical Kinky Boots.
But she said: “The first year after Corrie was quite quiet to be honest. I never stopped looking for roles but it was just after Brexit and I don’t think there were many new roles around.
“I wasn’t worried though. I do have a great agent and it was probably a blessing in disguise.
“It just took a while to find the right one, but now I’m up and running and it’s full steam ahead.
“And I was so whacked after Corrie it gave me time to focus on being a mum and spend time with my kids.”
Paula was killed off from the ITV soap after telling bosses she wanted to leave.
But she denied quitting to become a full-time mum to her kids
Arthur, three, and Penny, two.
Paula said: “It was claimed I quit Corrie to have a clean break from acting and become a full-time mum, but that wasn’t the case. I love my kids but I’m an active actor and wanted to leave to pursue other roles.
“When you go in and say to bosses you want to leave you have to prepare for any outcome – including being killed off.
“That wasn’t my decision, but I’m not bitter about it. I think Kylie is a brilliant character who is really missed and I miss playing her.
“But it was meant to be and I don’t think I would have gone back. I didn’t want to play the same character for ever – that’s why I wanted to leave.”
Kylie is about to embark on a yearlong tour with Kinky Boots.
She said: “It can be a struggle being a working mum, but it is the same for everyone.
“I will be taking my children with me for most of the tour and balancing it with my husband.”
Talking of dream roles, Paula would love to be reunited with her former Corrie half-sister Katherine Kelly on BBC hit Happy Valley.
She added: “I love Happy Valley. I’ve missed out on the new series so hopefully they will make a fourth so I can appear.
“It would also be great to work with Katherine again. She is a mum-of-two as well and has gone on to have a great career.”
●The Kinky Boots UK Tour starts next month and runs until September 2019. Tickets are on sale now. SOAP star Stephanie Davis wants to find love again after signing up to Celebrity First Dates.
Gorgeous Steph, 25, has agreed to be set up for a meet on the Channel 4 show and will film the episode in the coming weeks.
It comes as a new challenge following her toxic relationship with abusive ex Jeremy McConnell.
The pair met in the Celebrity Big Brother house and have a son Caben-Albi, aged 19 months.
Jeremy, 28, was handed a suspended prison sentence last year for attacking Steph.
She is due back on our screens in Hollyoaks this autumn playing Sinead O’Connor.
A source told the Daily Star Sunday: “Everyone is impressed by her energy on set and her comeback storyline will be huge.”