10 Actors Who Were Fired From British Soaps

Having long struggled with drinking, Bruce Jones was axed from ‘Coronation Street’ in 2007, following allegations he’d verbally abused fans on a night out. Bizarrely, the absence of his character Les Battersby was explained away by him going on tour as a roadie with a ZZ Top covers band 'ZZ Top O’ The Morning’.

Suffield, who played Lucy Beale in 'EastEnders’ from 2004, was sacked in 2010 following reports of frequent bad behaviour off camera, and alleged underage drinking (she was 17 at the time). She wrote on her webpage: “I was a naughty girl outside of work, well that’s what they have sacked me for, pathetic! It was in the rules and I did have 3 warnings… I’m gutted. But its all my fault.”

Chris Fountain’s dismissal from 'Coronation Street’ in 2013 was swift and unceremonious, after it emerged he’d been recording hardcore rap music advocating rape and violence towards women on YouTube, wearing a mask to hide his identity. He later admitted he was 'deeply ashamed by the lyrics’ adding: “I’ve not done anything like it since, nor will I.”

Adamson, who played the beloved Len Fairclough in 'Coronation Street’ for 23 years, was accused of indecently assaulting two underage girls in 1983. He was later cleared, but was sacked for breach of contract by ITV after he sold behind-the-scenes tales from the show to a newspaper to help pay for the huge legal fees from his trial. He died almost penniless in 2002, aged 71.

22-year-old 'Hollyoaks’ star Stephanie Davis – aka Sinead O'Connor – was axed from the show last summer, following a string of warnings about lateness and attendance. However, the last straw came when she turned up on set intoxicated and was sacked just four months after signing a new contract.

Katie Redford was all set to play 14-year-old 'Coronation Street’ tearaway Bethany Platt. Producers believed she was 19, but it turned out that she was in fact 25, 11 years older than her character and just two years younger than Tina O'Brien, who plays her character’s mother Sarah. Her contract was binned and the role was quickly recast.

Former 'EastEnder’ Westbrook was set to reprise her role as Trudy Ryan in 'Hollyoaks’ last year, but was sacked for 'breach of contract’ before setting foot on set. Westbrook later claimed that it had been her decision, as ex-boyfriend, MMA fighter Tom Richards, was planning to train in nearby Liverpool. The pair had a turbulent relationship.

Den Watts was dirty by name, and by nature, it emerged in 2004, when a newspaper published photographs of actor Leslie Grantham wearing a Captain Hook outfit and exposing himself online via a webcam in his BBC dressing room while working on ‘EastEnders’. “I let my friends and family down and it was a tawdry event,” he said. His character was killed off just a few months later.

Another 'Hollyoaks’ sacking, Bowes, who played Michaela McQueen, was said to have had a heated row with show producer Paul Marquess over her character’s direction. Following the spat, she announced her decision to leave on Twitter. Producers were said to be so angry, they wrote her out of the show early.

Ben Freeman was suspended from his role as Scott Windsor in 'Emmerdale’ in 2012, after allegations he raped a 16-year-old girl on holiday in Barbados in 2006. Though he was found not guilty following a six-week trial in 2011, ITV announced it had 'absolutely no plans’ to bring him back. A rep for the actor said: “I am bemused. We were led to believe the door was still open.”