Michelle Ryan, who left EastEnders 20 years ago in 2005, appears to have defied the passage of time.
The former soap star, 40, who is best known for her role as Zoe Slater on the BBC One soap, recently flaunted her youthful looks in a makeup-free Instagram post. In the honest photo, she revealed that she took the selfie immediately after completing a run. And it seems Michelle prefers a DIY approach to maintaining her appearance, admitting that she cuts her own hair following a YouTube tutorial.
Michelle – who ranked fourth in FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women in 2005 – often shows off her clear skin in makeup-free and post-exercise photos on social media. She was just 16 when she joined the drama in 2000, stepping into the iconic role of Kat Slater’s secret daughter. During her stint in Albert Square, her character, Zoe, had a series of romantic entanglements. She had relationships with Dennis Rickman and Dirty Den, and even got engaged to Anthony Trueman.
She also shared a controversial kiss with her best friend Kelly Taylor during a New Year’s Eve night out in 2003 when they found themselves stranded and emotional. The scene drew criticism at the time, but Brooke Kinsella, who portrayed Kelly, defended it. On the iconic scene, Michelle previously said: “It’s not a gratuitous ratings getting move, it’s not some kind of big lesbian kiss. It’s the way two best friends who have a lot of love for each other show their emotions.”
Despite the controversy, Michelle confessed to the Bristol Evening Post that she ‘got quite bored in the end’ playing Zoe, saying: “Doing the same thing day in, day out. It’s just so boring. I like to jump from different things.” And she firmly told the Daily Record ‘the door is closed’, elaborating: “I always saw EastEnders as an apprenticeship. I always wanted to go on and do different things. I have some really good friends from that show but the door is closed.
“I’ve always taken chances. I think that’s how you progress by stepping out and doing different things. I really do like my freedom and jumping from job to job. I just want to work with people I admire and respect, wherever that be big budget, low budget, leading role, supporting role,” she said. After her departure from the show, the star nearly made it big in America after securing the lead role in the reboot of the popular seventies TV show Bionic Woman, although the show was axed after just one season.
Since then, the British actress has featured in several independent films, including 4.3. 2.1. and Cockneys vs Zombies. She has also made guest appearances in BBC shows such as Merlin, Doctor Who and Death In Paradise. Her most recent film role was in Frankenstein: Legacy where she took on the character of Lady Charlotte.
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