FORMER Coronation Street star Georgia May Foote has retrained as a nail technician in lockdown.
The actress – who played Katy Armstrong in the ITV soap before quitting in 2015 – says she is “super proud” of herself for gaining the qualification to be a professional manicurist.
“I have been an actress for 22 years of my 30 year life and i wouldn’t change it for the world. And I never will,” she shared on Instagram.
“I recently qualified as a nail technician and I am super proud of myself for the reason I am about to explain.
“I have had people asking if i am quitting acting, if my work has dried up, if I am skint. The answer to all of the above is HELL NO.”
Last year Georgia jetted to Serbia to film the third series of US fantasy drama The Outpost which she said is the “job of my dreams”.
She also joined Doctors for its 20th anniversary episode.
“I will NEVER give up acting but let me tell you why i am now doing nails in my downtime from acting,” she explained.
“I have struggled with anxiety for many years. As an actress we receive a lot of rejection, followed by massive celebrations.
“Then ran off our feet, to long periods of nothing. I have learnt this ‘nothing’ is when my self esteem drops the most. I lose confidence and I get b****y sad.
“As a creative person who loves having her nails done, I thought ‘why not fill my days making other people feel good, pushing my artistic side and feeling productive?’
“I have no shame to put pride aside to put my mental health first. And neither should anyone else or even feel judged for doing so.
“So yes. I am Georgia May Foote the actress still chasing her dreams.
“But I am also Georgia May Foote who does b****y amazing nails and has big plans on the side.”
The Bury-born star was runner-up in 2015’s Strictly Come Dancing with Giovanni Pernice.
Georgia revealed in May last year that she’s taking anxiety medication that ‘saved her life.’
The beauty revealed that she has been taking Citalopram – a type of antidepressant that is often used to treat depression and panic attacks – after one Instagram fan asked for some advice on taking anxiety medication.
She said: “I have been on it for over two years now and it probably saved my life.
“I am grateful there is medication that can help when you struggle so much to motivate yourself to help yourself.
“Now I understand what helps I am slowly coming off it.”
