What do actors do when they leave a soap?

[Dualipa]

It's very rare you see an actor on something after they leave a soap considering how many do leave. So what do they all do?

They all hope for a career that apes Margo Robbie's or Sarah Lancashire's.

I'm sure it was 'Doctors' the other day that had a few actors in it that used to be in Brookside.

They go on love island 😂

Christmas panto?

Plays or musicals in the theatre, other programmes, films, comedy, panto, voiceovers.

Or leave the profession and do something else.

Set up drama schools!

Panto. Instagram. Soap Powder adverts. An shortlived singing career or diet/workout video. Sidebar fodder.

If they're very, very fortunate, a part as a murder victim or patient in a US show.

Russell crow - films
Suranne jones/Michelle keegan - tv drama

Kylie - moderately successful pop star.

Other soaps, panto, adverts, theatre and so on also normal jobs like anyone else.

Bit part in Casualty.

Casualty
Holby

Then wait for their character to return 2 years later

The female actors in Coronation Street - Suranne Jones, Sarah Lancashire, Katherine Kelly - tend to do very well. The males, less so, although the one who played Liam landed a key role in Downton Abbey and must be glad he chose to leave!

My old schoolfriend was a fairly major character in one of the big soaps for a few years. She left about 10 years ago and now does mostly theatre work and radio plays. Well, she did until lockdown. Not sure what she’s up to at the moment!

Julie Hesmondhalgh has done lots of TV and theatre since she left a soap.
Tamsin Outhwaite was in New Tricks.

I bet plenty go into theatre, but won’t have such a public profile.

Panto and fringe theatre

Usually panto or they join another soap. Some of them join a reality TV show then decide to return to the soap because no one else wants them.

It’s very rare for them to become successful and usually because they’re actually good at acting.

Sit clogging up coffee shops in Hampstead. Used to hang out there when in May leave could t move for soap actors

Reality tv, panto, retrain as a life coach, regional theatre.

Loads of the Australian soap actors seem to go on to have careers in Hollywood! Guy Pearce, Isla Fisher, Margot Robbie, Chris and Liam Hemsworth, Naomi Watts, Heath Ledger, Simon Baker, Jesse Spencer, Julian McMahon, Melissa George to name but a few. God knows why the British ex-soap stars aren't as successful!

Suranne Jones and Sarah Lancashire are the only two that come to mind who have done well from being in a soap.

Turn up in other soaps.

Disappear for a while, do a fitness dvd, pop up in odd cameo roles and then either go back to the soap they left or a different one where they play slmeone excactly the same.

I saw an article a while ago on someone who had been in eastenders and now works in B&M. I referenced a few other examples where people are now doing ordinary jobs.