EASTENDERS legend Charlie Clements has been working as a chef after taking a break from acting.
The star, who played Bradley Branning, told fans he was spending his last day as a chef and heading back to rehearsals.
The 33-year-old actor has regularly performed on stage since leaving Albert Square, but this abruptly came to a halt when the coronavirus pandemic hit, forcing theatres to close.
Charlie swapped the stage for a chefs apron in order to make ends meet during lockdown.
The actor proudly shared a photo of him from the kitchen where he works dressed in a white chefs jacket.
He wrote: “Last day as a chef today!! On to rehearsals next week… #actorslife #actor #acting #work #theatre.”
Charlie’s fans praised the actor for switching careers during tough times.
One wrote: “Whatchya off to do? You’re amazing! Culinary skills and an actor impresario.”
Former co-star Rita Simons posted: “Whoop! Well done Chaz.”
Charlie’s on-screen dad and EastEnders icon Jake Wood simply shared: “
.”
Charlie played lovable Bradley in the soap from January 2006 to February 2010, before he was tragically killed off.
Charlie won the ‘Best Exit’ prizes at the British Soap and Inside Soap awards following his dramatic roof fall in his final EastEnders scene.
He has since gone on to star as Jake O’Reilly in Casualty in 2013, before starring as Charlie Brackenreid in Murdoch Mysteries.
He’s also played a part in drama Elizabeth And Her Enemies.
Charlie previously insisted he’d never make a return to the BBC soap, and told The Celeb Report: “I can’t say I’ve watched EastEnders since I left. I don’t miss it because if I hadn’t left I wouldn’t be doing other shows which I prefer doing.
“They resurrect characters sometimes but even if they wanted Bradley back as a ghost I wouldn’t take up that offer.”
He added: “I didn’t let them kill me off but before I started on the show I always said that I wanted to do four years and that was it. It was my decision to leave.”
