She’s well known for portraying ditzy Bernice Blackstock in Emmerdale, a role she’s played on and off for over 20 years.
But before finding fame in the Dales, actress Samantha Giles worked as a nude life model for £5 per hour after struggling financially in her younger years.
In a new interview, Samantha, 49, opened up about her past job, recalling how she was ‘really desperate for money’, but was quick to insist that she’s ‘not ashamed’ of what she did.
In the past: Before finding fame in the Dales, actress Samantha Giles worked as a nude life model for £5 per hour after struggling financially in her younger years (pictured in 2019)
Samantha detailed how she got the job when she was in her 20s as she detailed how things were so difficult financially that at times she couldn’t to eat.
She explained to The Mirror: ‘I was really desperate for money. I’m not ashamed of it, I wasn’t doing anything terrible. It paid £5 an hour, which is nothing, but I’d get £15 for an evening, which seemed quite good.
‘I did it at a college in North London which had a lot of young people, which was a bit daunting. I was only 23, but I’ve never liked my body, so the only way I found I could do it was by not looking down at myself when I dropped the sarong. I never looked at their work either.’
The TV star recalled how she had to stand or sit and hold her pose for an hour, telling how once particular session left her ‘uncomfortable’ as she stood with her back to the artists and had to ‘stick my bottom out’ – adding it was a feature she ‘hated’.
Work: In a new interview, Samantha, 49, opened up about her past job, recalling how she was ‘really desperate for money’, but was quick to insist that she’s ‘not ashamed’ of what she did
During the interview, Samantha spoke about a ‘nasty’ comment she received from one painter, who upon hearing she was an actress, told her she wouldn’t ‘make it’ in the industry, leaving her devastated.
She said: ‘This man came up during the break and asked what I did. I said I was an actress and he said: “I don’t think you’re going to make it. You might get the odd job, but you’ll never be a household name”. I remember feeling so devastated that I never said anything back.’
The TV personality added that those types of remarks can make a person ‘stronger’ and added that she never contemplated ‘giving up’ her acting dream.
Samantha went on to prove the naysayer wrong, earning a small part in Coronation Street, a film with Rob Lowe before eventually landing the part of barmaid Bernice in Emmerdale back in 1998.
Tough times: ‘I was really desperate for money. I’m not ashamed of it, I wasn’t doing anything terrible. It paid £5 an hour, which is nothing, but I’d get £15 for an evening, which seemed quite good’
But the road to success wasn’t easy, with Samantha remembering how a fellow actor shared his food with her after she was too poor to eat during filming for Midnight Man in Luxembourg.
She told how he saved her embarrassment by pretending he was too full to finish his meal and offered it to her in a bid to ensure she ate, with Samantha adding that it was a ‘really tough time’.
Samantha’s words comes weeks after it was revealed that she’s set to make her grand return as Bernice Blackstock in Emmerdale.
Getting by: ‘I did it at a college in North London which had a lot of young people, which was a bit daunting. I was only 23’
Role: Samantha went on to prove the naysayer wrong, earning a small part in Coronation Street, a film with Rob Lowe before eventually landing the part of barmaid Bernice in Emmerdale back in 1998 (pictured in her first Emmerdale appearance in 1998)
The ex-girlfriend of Liam Cavanagh (Jonny McPherson), Bernice hasn’t been seen in the Yorkshire Dales since 2019, when she dumped Liam the night before their wedding and disappeared.
Liam has since moved on with Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi), but just as Liam and Leyla’s romance is finally back on track with a wedding on the way, Bernice returns to the village.
Bernice left hurriedly for Australia to look after her former husband, Charlie, who had been involved in an accident.
But now she’s back, and will no doubt make life complicated for Liam and Leyla.
Opening up about her decision to return to the Yorkshire Dales, Samantha said: ‘As an actress leaving a role that you love is always a hard decision and I’d been lucky to work so consistently for so long which is rare in our business.’
She’s back! Samantha’s words comes weeks after it was revealed that she’s set to make her grand return as Bernice Blackstock in Emmerdale
She continued: ‘So I knew the time had come to be brave and take the leap back in 2019 to pursue my other passion of writing and focus on getting my first book published.
‘I’m a big believer in fate so when Emmerdale offered me the chance to return as Bernice I took it as a sign that it was meant to be.’
Samantha concluded: ‘I’m delighted to be returning to play out Bernice’s future storylines which I’m sure are going to keep the audience entertained.
‘She certainly arrives back with a bang that’s all I’m allowed to say right now and I’m looking forward to releasing my next two books whilst juggling her hectic onscreen life!’
Sad: Broken-hearted Liam (L) took time to recover after his ex-fiancée (R) disappeared and is likely to be furious that she is returning just as he gets his life together
This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk
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