Carol Harrison "really wishes" she hadn’t taken on the role of Louise Raymond in ‘EastEnders’.
The 65-year-old star "loved" playing the part of Tiffany Mitchell’s (Martine McCutcheon) mum at the beginning of her one-year stint on the BBC One soap, but in the end she "didn’t like the way women at that age were being represented".
She said: "I’ve never really said this before but in some ways I really wish I hadn’t taken that part, because I’ve never been typecast before … at first it was fabulous because the character was all of those things that us glorious women are when we get over 40.
"Which was really sassy, and outspoken.
"I loved the part I was playing. I loved Louise and I loved her at the beginning, but I didn’t like the way that women at that age were being represented.
"I felt some sort of responsibility to it. I felt helpless.
"It was the regime at that time, I don’t think it’s like that anymore.
"Unfortunately, for me, a job that should’ve been the greatest time in my life, and I’m an East Ender, so I really wanted to be in ‘EastEnders’."
And following her ‘EastEnders’ departure, Carol admitted she wasn’t receiving the sorts of offers she expected.
Speaking on ‘Loose Women’, she added: "A lot of parts I was being offered at that time were the same sort of parts.
"These, strangely, because I was over 40 then, older women who were predatory on young men.
"I wanted to play what a woman in her 40s would be. Seen a bit of life, sassy, taking on the world."
Carol recently claimed she was axed from ‘EastEnders’ because of "an age thing".
The ‘Thunder Girls’ star was 42 when her character Louise was no longer required, and she believes part of the show bosses’ decision was due to how old she was.
She said: "You spend so much time playing that character that obviously what they’re going through affects you as well, if you’re method.
"I felt a real sense of rejection.
"Acting has always been my very first love and then it was suddenly completely unrequited.
"It was an age thing. There was a time when there were hardly any parts for someone of my age and in that soap as well, they were divided.
"It was the youngsters and the older people. That middle range of us, what we were, middle-aged I guess."
Carol Harrison regrets EastEnders role
