Emmerdale legend Deena Payne has revealed the reason she was allegedly “banned” from Strictly Come Dancing.
The actress played shop keeper Viv Hope in the ITV soap for 18 years until 2011.
She was axed by bosses in a shock storyline that saw her character die in a fire while drunk.
And now Deena has told how how starring on the ITV soap saw her unable to appear on Strictly on the BBC.
She claimed to the Daily Star: “I wouldn’t appear on any reality TV show except Strictly. Strictly is the one I’ve always loved, because I’ve always danced, and I’m a good dancer.
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“However, I think I got right to the end, years and years ago – around when it started and I was still on Emmerdale. In September, my agent said: ‘They’re just finalising everybody at the end of the week!’ and I couldn’t believe it when I wasn’t on it.”
She then added why she thinks she was missed off the Strictly shortlist.
“But it was to do with the clash of the titans [between ITV and BBC] at the time, because I was still in Emmerdale and quite a large part of it, and they didn’t like it, I don’t think. So that was that.”
What has Deena said about Emmerdale exit?
Last year Deena opened up about being savagely killed off in the soap.
Viewers watched Viv get drunk and pass out in 2011 before being killed in a fire – but Deena had no idea.
In fact, she only discovered her fate when she got a script she wasn’t in and called Emmerdale to find out why.
She told Soap From the Box podcast: “That was a bit of a funny thing my death.
“I wasn’t furious, I was a bit hurt I think because having ridden so many waves and really enjoyed it.”
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She added: “I was a bit taken aback when I got the script.
“I just went up and asked if I was in anything that week because I’m starting pantomime and she said: ‘Oh you’ve gone, you’re not in it.’
“And the script I had got – I didn’t even cry out for help. I just died.”
Want more spoilers from Emmerdale? Entertainment Daily has a dedicated Emmerdale spoilers section for you to get your fix before the latest episodes air.
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.
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