19 March 2023 , 06:39
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Charlie Brooks says that losing two stone in as many months for her successful mid-noughties fitness DVD played havoc with her self confidence.
The 41-year-old mother-of-one is known to millions as devious soap villain Janine Butcher on iconic BBC show EastEnders - a role she has played from 1999 until 2022.
However, many will also recall she lost an astonishing two stone in the space of two months back in 2005 and shared the secrets of her weight-loss success via her top selling fitness DVD, Before & After.
But in a candid new interview all about self confidence, Charlie says that she struggled with her self esteem and body image throughout her formative years - only really feeling properly confident once she entered her 40s.
Charlie Brooks says her 2005 fitness DVD sparked a body image confidence crisis within her
The TV star says she feels confident now she is in her 40s (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)Opening up to Fabulous magazine, Charlie explained that a number of factors contributed to her feelings of low self worth - including an 'imposter syndrome' feeling she had due to the fact she landed her role as Janine as a teenager and then never went to drama school.
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The star says this has left her frequently feeling like she 'doesn't belong' when it comes to working in the acting profession.
She also said being a parent to a teen has rocked her confidence as she struggled to understand the normal teenage-style emotional outbursts of her daughter.
Charlie has played Janine Butcher on EastEnders on and off since 1999 (BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)Charlie went on to say that her body confidence suffered 'long term' after she shed lbs for her fitness DVD.
She explained that she "had a difficult relationship with my body, to the point where I couldn’t walk past a mirror without mentally beating myself up" - adding that she would feel "feel nothing but hatred" when she looked at her reflection.
She went on to explain that working on her 'Before & After' fitness DVD ended up having a negative impact on her body confidence.
Charlie explained: "Years ago, I released a keep-fit video and got really tiny – that had a long-term negative impact on my body image."
Charlie is mum to a teenage daughter named Kiki (Instagram)She says that giving up alcohol and launching a business - her iampro online mentoring and adult acting school - has made her state of mind take a complete 180 and now she feels focused and confident.
She said: "I’d never run a business before, but the more I’ve shown up, the more confidence I’ve gained.
"I’ve learned to be kinder to myself, too. My body isn’t perfect, but it’s birthed a baby and that’s a beautiful thing."