EastEnders ‘ original Lauren Branning actress Madeline Duggan has revealed she is now working in a GP’s surgery 10 years after her final appearance in the soap.
The former soap star was back on screens last night during its re-run of the iconic Christmas Day episode in which Max Branning’s affair with Stacey Slater was exposed.
Earlier this year, she told her Twitter followers that she has been working a “normal job” in between acting gigs.
Madeline, now 26, had been talking about people avoiding having surgery because of the coronavirus.
She said: “I know this because I work in a doctors’ surgery part time (because being an out of work actress doesn’t pay).”
Madeline played Lauren between 2006 and 2010 (Image: BBC)
Madeline played Lauren Branning for four years between 2006 and 2010, before she was replaced by Jacqueline Jossa.
I’m A Celeb champ Jacqueline took over in the same year and appeared on the soap as Lauren until her exit in 2018.
Madeline was on Twitter last night answering questions from fans, who were reminiscing about her after watching the classic EastEnders episode.
Madeline now works part time in a GP’s surgery (Image: madelinedugganxx/Instagram)
Speaking of being replaced, she said: “I understand it more now. I looked like a baby in that episode and I was tiny and didn’t grow (still only 5’2).
“I get that they wanted someone older to play different storylines and I’m very glad it happened.”
She continued: “I was very young and it gave me options to do other things and get an American agent and enjoy some teenage life without being on screen. Worked out for the best.”
After EastEnders, Madeline went on to have a varied career and has appeared in a number of different series.
In 2017 she played Katie in an episode of crime series Home Alone, while she played a character called Amy Chester in two episodes of Silent Witness in 2012.
Fans were excited to see her back on EastEnders though, alongside Lorna Fitzgerald, who played Abi Branning.
One said: “You will always be the ‘real’ Lauren character and it was great to see you again.”
Another said: “Well done! You and Lorna were so good. Brought back memories.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
