Former ‘Coronation Street’ actress Sarah Lancashire says there is "ludicrous prejudice" against soap stars in the acting industry.
The 49-year-old actress portrayed barmaid Raquel Watts in the ITV series from 1991 to 1996 and although she was always proud to be a part of the show, she believes she had to work harder to stop herself from being typecast.
In an interview in Radio Times magazine, she said: "Soaps are a double-edged sword. There can be prejudice from some writers and producers who feel you will lower the currency of their work if you’ve been in one. You have to rise above such ludicrous prejudice.
"Sometimes it’s necessary for soaps to hang on to an audience by sensationalising … but it’s a great arena to learn your craft before you move on. There’s no such thing as a ‘soap’ actor."
Despite going on to forge a very successful and diverse career following her time on ‘Corrie’, the ‘Happy Valley’ star would be happy to appear in a soap again in the future.
Lancashire – who returned to the cobbles of Weatherfield for one more episode in 2000 – added: "I won’t say I’d never go back to a soap because an actor’s life is so precarious. You can have the most wonderful patch when everyone wants to work with you, and in the blink of an eye the phone won’t ring for a month, even a year."
Sarah Lancashire: There’s prejudice against soap stars
