Former EastEnders star Michelle Collins has lashed out at people who label her a “cougar” for dating a younger man.
The soap star, who played Walford’s Cindy Beale, told Daily Star that she’s fed up with people focusing on the 22-year age gap between herself and partner Mike Davison.
Michelle, 56, said she’s “regarded as a predator” for being in a relationship with Mike, adding: “It drives me mad. People call him my toyboy beau. He’s nearly 35, for God’s sake.
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“He turned to me the other day and said, ‘Surely I’m not still your toyboy, am I?'”
Michelle, who also starred as Stella Price in Coronation Street, said: “I laugh about it now but it is annoying. And I hate that word cougar. I can’t stand it. I find it so demeaning. A cougar is a predator going around looking for young flesh. I’m certainly not like that.”
The soap icon also said she thinks women who date younger men are judged differently to men who date younger women.
Michelle and Mike began dating back in 2013 but the actress prefers to keep their relationship away from the glare of the spotlight.
The star has just added another string to her already glittering bow with the launch of her very own skincare range, Pellum Vero from MC Skin.
Michelle announced the project in October, telling fans: “I wanted a simple and pure beauty range which is natural and age-delaying with no gimmicks, just pure and honest.”
The range consists of an eye cream, day cream, night cream, serum and cleanser.
In a blog post for the brand’s official website, Michelle said she’d been involved in every step of the creating process, describing her products as high end but affordable.
Michelle said it had always been her “secret ambition” to have her own skincare range, explaining: “I don’t think I have ever found the perfect products for my own skin, so when the chance came along to create my own skincare range I jumped at it.
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“I have been asked on numerous occasions over the years to endorse products and have been sent many to try; some fantastic and some pretty awful. However I never wanted to endorse or be part of something that I couldn’t help create myself.
“If I had to really believe in something and actually want to use it myself, truth is vital.”
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