Former Hollyoaks Actress Shocks Fans by Quitting After Severe Panic Attack: ‘I Thought I Was Going to Stop Breathing
Former Hollyoaks star Sophie Porley revealed she quit acting after pressure led to ‘panic attacks’.
The 31-year-old, best known for playing Ellie Nightingale on the soap, was on the programme from 2015 to 2018 but decided to take a step back after putting ‘too much pressure’ on herself to find other acting gigs.
‘I don’t know if I’ve really spoken about this, but I’m not really acting anymore,’ she said on The Muse podcast.
She added: ‘Because I had a few auditions when I finished Hollyoaks, and I think I put so much pressure on myself to go from that to another acting job I felt real pressure.
‘My agency sent me an audition and there was pages and pages of dialogue to learn. I went into my agency to record the audition, and I put so much pressure on myself I walked out of their building and had a panic attack.’
Sophie left the Channel 4 soap in 2018, having first appeared in Chester in 2015.
An insider said at the time: ‘Sophie is ready to move on to pastures new.
‘She’s moving back down South and is going to take a small break before heading to auditions. She’s loved her time on the show but now she’s ready to move on.’
Lifting the lid on her exit, Sophie previously stated: ‘There probably never is a “right time”, but I’d been at Hollyoaks for three years and I’d had some amazing storylines during that time.
‘So it just felt right to leave now, but I’m going to miss it so much.
‘Ellie had been through so many heartaches and attempted murders and all sorts during her time on the show, so it was nice that she came out on top and had a nice exit.
‘It was also nice that it tied in with Holly’s exit. Leaving with Amanda Clapham was really, really nice for us both.
‘I’m so happy to be a Nightingale who came out without being in a coffin!’
