Emmerdale star Louise Jameson, 73, recently opened up about her dissatisfaction with the way she was written out of another popular soap. The actress, who joined the show in 2022 as Mary Goskirk, has been dealing with the shocking revelation that her daughter’s ex-husband used her frozen embryos to conceive a child with his new wife. Louise’s character has been fighting for custody of baby Ivy, which has led to a dramatic storyline. However, this isn’t the first soap Louise has appeared in. She previously played Sharon Crossthwaite in the ITV soap in 1973 and became the first character to be murdered on the show.
Louise also had a significant role in EastEnders, where she portrayed Rosa di Marco for over two years, from 1998 to 2000. She appeared in more than 200 episodes before her character and the rest of the di Marco family were axed as part of a major overhaul. Reflecting on her departure from the soap, Louise expressed her annoyance at the way it was announced. She revealed that she was only informed the night before it appeared in the papers and wished they had discussed it with her beforehand so she could have informed her family. The lack of respect in the way her departure was handled left her feeling frustrated.
In addition to her soap roles, Louise is also recognized for her portrayal of Leela in Doctor Who. She was a companion of the Fourth Doctor, played by Tom Baker, and appeared in the show for forty episodes between 1977 and 1978. Louise has been candid about her time on EastEnders, revealing that there was a storyline proposed that she was not comfortable with. The storyline involved her character, Rosa, becoming racist. Louise explained that while she would be willing to play a racist character if it had an anti-racist message, she didn’t want to risk being associated with racism due to the strong identification viewers have with soap characters.
Louise’s career has seen her in various iconic roles, but her recent experiences have shed light on the challenges and frustrations actors can face within the soap opera industry. Despite the setbacks, Louise continues to captivate audiences with her talent and versatility.
