EVERY now and again, soap stars go off the rails – and lose their job in the process.
Here are just some of soapland’s most loved faces, whose careers crashed and burned following their behaviour off set…
Asan N’Jie – Ellis Chapman (Emmerdale)
Asan played the original Ellis Chapman on the ITV soap before being axed in September 2019 following an altercation with Hollyoaks actor Jamie Lomas at the TV Choice Awards.
The vicious altercation was caught on camera and caused shockwaves at the time, with Asan screaming at 44-year-old Jamie: “Do you think you are a f***ing big man? I’m going to f***ing kill you” in the clip.
According to the Mirror, he then added under his breath: “I’m going to f***ing knife you.”
Asan was escorted off the premises by security staff and was axed from his role after an emergency meeting with show bosses.
In a statement Asa said: “My behaviour at the TV Choice Awards was completely unacceptable. “I sincerely apologise to everybody who has been affected especially Jamie Lomas, the whole Emmerdale team, our audience, ITV, my family, and the organisers of the TV Choice Awards.
“I am devastated, accept full responsibility for my actions and I am determined to learn from this.”
9
Shila Iqbal – Aiesha Richards (Emmerdale)
The actress was fired on the spot from her role as Aiesha Richards after it emerged she had sent racist and homophobic tweets.
Shila was sacked after bosses discovered tweets that read: “Do not tweet me you gay” and “I know too many noisy n****s.”
She was 19 when she originally shared the messages on Twitter.
A representative for Emmerdale told The Sun Online: “As a consequence of historic social media posts Shila Iqbal has left her role as Aiesha Richards on Emmerdale.
“The programme took the decision not to renew her contract as soon as these posts were brought to the company’s attention.”
Shila apologised unreservedly after the tweets came to light, citing her young age as a factor.
9
Bruno Langley – Todd Grimshaw (Coronation Street)
In October 2017, Bruno Langley’s contract was terminated following accusations of inappropriate behaviour at a Manchester nightclub.
The star was later found guilty of sexually assaulting two women in a night club.
He went on to receive a 12 month community order, where he was given a curfew and an electronic tag.
9
Marc Anwar – Sharif Nazir (Coronation Street)
The 65-year-old Pakistan-born actor – who first appeared on the cobbles as businessman Sharif Nazir in 2014, was removed from the show with immediate effect following a scathing racist rant online in 2016.
In a series of Twitter messages, he described Indians as “p**s-drinking c***s”.
His remarks came days after 17 soldiers were killed at an army base in Kashmir and sparked a UN clash between India and Pakistan.
He tweeted: “Why the F***k do #pakistaniartists want work in #f*** face #india, do you love money so much.”
Next tweeting an image of a clenched fist, he added: “Ban #india movies in #PakistanisLeaveIndia. B*****ds p**s drinking #c**ts.
He later removed his Twitter account and was condemned by charities for “adding fuel to a fire”.
9
Stephanie Davis – Sinead O’Connor (Hollyoaks)
Before becoming known for her turbulent relationship with Jeremy McConnell, Steph started life as an actress.
After landing the role of Sinead O’Connor in 2010, Steph was eventually let go in 2015 due to bad behaviour.
It was claimed she was let go due to attendance issues, with her spokesperson later telling The Mirror: “Stephanie’s contract was terminated following warnings for lateness, attendance and after a final incident in which she turned up to set unfit to work because of alcohol consumption.”
She didn’t see things quite that way though and later told Zoo magazine: “It was ultimately my choice to leave!
“I just walked and then the producers told me if I didn’t come back they’d have no option but to terminate my contract, but that it was my choice.”
9
Chris Fountain – Tommy Duckworth (Coronation Street)
In 2013, Chris was sacked from his role as Tommy Duckworth after he posted videos of himself rapping online.
Chris was axed from Coronation Street after The Sun exposed him as a masked rapper who had boasted of raping a woman in a sickening YouTube video under the guise of his alter-ego The Phantom.
Calling himself “The Phantom”, he covered his face in a mask to hide his identity.
The lyrics, which he wrote, included lines such as: “I’ll rape a b***h on her birthday” and ”I’ll stab you in the face with a diseased needle”.
He later apologised, saying: “I would like to sincerely apologise for any offence I have caused.
“I am deeply ashamed by the lyrics and very much regret my behaviour.”
9
Melissa Suffield – Lucy Beale (Eastenders)
Melissa played the tearaway Beale teen from 2004 to 2010.
However, she was eventually given the chop due to “unruly behaviour” off set, and she was replaced by Hetti Bywater.
But she didn’t think the decision was very fair and was vocal about her dismissal.
She said: “It’s not like I was going out, punching photographers and being sick in a gutter.
“I’m only doing what every other girl of 17 does.
“It’s not an excuse, but out of all the things Lucy has done, the only one I’ve done is drink underage.”
9
Bruce Jones – Les Battersby (Coronation Street)
Bruce was fired from ITV’s most loved soap after it was alleged that he got drunk with reporters and spilled the beans on a string of closely under wraps storylines.
This included the outcome of Tracy Barlow’s murder trial.
He was suspended for ten weeks, before it became permanent.
The Corrie star denied all the allegations against him, and instead maintained that his comments were taken out of context.
He had been on the show for ten years when he left in 2007.
Leslie Grantham – “Dirty” Den Watts (Eastenders)
After his character literally came back from the dead, Leslie Grantham – who played trickster Dirty Den in the BBC soap, was booted from the show again in 2004.
The decision came after he was caught sucking his finger suggestively while talking to a woman on a messaging service.
He was also said to enjoy dressing as Captain Hook.
During the raunchy chat, he also made rude remarks about some of his co-stars, including Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace.
Leslie was let go and later said: “I let my friends and family down and it was a tawdry event.
“I know there was a concerted effort to catch me doing something at the time but it was my own fault.”
9
Katie Redford – Bethany Platt (Coronation Street)
Katie was offered the role of the then 14-year-old Bethany Platt on Coronation Street.
However, she never even made it through a day of shooting before bosses discovered she’d lied about her age.
While they thought she was 19, she was actually 25 years old.
Eager soap fans were quick to discover her deception, and busted her after finding her online CV.
The role eventually went to Lucy Fallon instead.