Pregnant Jacqueline Jossa has again hit back at “ridiculous” accusations she made a derogatory remark about Hollyoaks characters self-harming.
The former EastEnders actress, 25, was seen chatting to co-star Lacey Turner at the British Soap Awards earlier this month, shortly after Hollyoaks won Best Storyline.
Cameras caught Jacqueline as she said something to Lacey in the audience, with some viewers jumping to the conclusion she’d said “they all self-harm on that show”.
The Hollyoaks storyline saw three young characters self-harming together.
Speaking to OK! magazine, Jacqueline fiercely defended herself, saying: “It was ridiculous. I’d never belittle such a serious thing.
“Lacey asked me what the storyline was and I told her that I thought they had all self-harmed on the show based on the clip I had seen.
“I wasn’t discrediting it. I was just answering a question.”
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Jacqueline had previously defended herself on Instagram, telling fans: “Just to clear things up, Lacey asked me what the storyline was, as we couldn’t hear.
“I answered with, I’m not actually sure, ‘I think they all self-harmed on that show’. I didn’t watch the show, I only went from the clip I saw previous, which involved three girls on a bed.
“I haven’t watched the show recently so don’t actually know, but always love it and wasn’t discrediting. I was literally answering what the storyline was.”
She added: “I know that self-harm isn’t a joke, obviously, and love any soap that tackles hard stories. It’s been taken out of context!
“Jake Wood’s story [on EastEnders] involved self-harm too. I wasn’t hating, I was answering a question.
“Sorry for offence!!”
Jacqueline, meanwhile, also told OK! magazine she was thrilled to win Scene of the Year for her character Lauren Branning’s fall from the Queen Vic roof alongside sister Abi.
She left the soap earlier this year to pursue other work projects, but recently said falling pregnant with her second child had changed her plans slightly.
In a new interview with The Belfast Telegraph’s Weekend supplement, Jacqueline – who will give birth in the coming weeks – said: “This baby wasn’t planned, so it was a shock when I found out [I was pregnant] just as I left the show. Instead of following my big plan of leaving and smashing it work-wise, I’m on a break instead.”
However, Jacqueline insisted everything has worked out for the best, as being at home has allowed her to spend more time with three-year-old daughter Ella.
She said: “I’ve really been able to embrace this time with Ella and prepare her for having a new member of the family.”
Jacqueline hasn’t been completely stepping away from work, however, as she recently launched her own YouTube channel, where she shares videos updating fans on her pregnancy.
And when she’s ready to return to the screen, she already knows what sort of roles she’ll be looking for.
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She told Closer magazine recently: “I was at EastEnders for almost eight years and it was amazing, but I’m completely ready to do something new.
“I’m grateful the door was left open, obviously, but I’d love to do a dark Netflix series or a comedy. I want to challenge myself and do something completely different.”
Do you miss Jacqueline on EastEnders? What would you like to see her do next? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!