Being a sex symbol is funny
Last updated 11:42, Saturday, 03 May 2008
Roxanne Pallett is delighted to have received her third nomination for sexiest female at tonight’s British Soap Awards.
- Slideshow: view Roxy photos
But what gives the Cumbrian even greater satisfaction is being shortlisted for the first time as best actress.
“I’m overwhelmed and honoured to be nominated for both best actress and sexiest female,” she told the News & Star.
“I’ve had an amazing storyline over the last six months with Emmerdale and it’s fantastic to feel my work is being recognised.
“The best actress nomination threw me, I had a lump in my throat when I heard about it,” she says.
“To get two nominations is fantastic and definitely gives you that confidence boost that you’re doing something right. To be nominated for sexiest female is so flattering. We all have bad hair days and fat days and I don’t want to look in the mirror days, so it’s such a compliment.
“But I’ve never aspired to be a model so I think best actress would mean something more integral to who I am and what I’ve been working towards.”
The 25-year-old, who attended Trinity School and grew up on Currock Road, is still fairly new to the soap world after two and a half years on Emmerdale.
But Roxanne has already got her teeth into some gritty scenes and has been rewarded with that best actress nomination.
Roxanne’s character Jo Stiles arrived in the Yorkshire village in 2005 and soon had heads turning with her sexy style.
She was invited to stay on Butlers Farm with Andy Sugden and his wife Katie, but soon made a move on Andy who picked her over his wife.
Their blissful relationship wasn’t to last, however, and Andy started becoming violent towards Jo.
Roxanne is up against some stiff competition for best actress from the likes of EastEnders’ Lacey Turner and Coronation Street's Alison King.
“They’ve been established longer and had more material to work with, so I’m just really, really honoured and pleased to be acknowledged alongside them,” she says.
How does she cope with the sex symbol status?
“I have a giggle with it really. Anyone who went to school with me is just thinking, ‘What?’ I was such a tomboy. I was always on my bike or falling out of trees when I was growing up. I was never a girly girl.
“The lads in my class that I grew up with, they think, ‘How are you in magazines and being called sexy?’ It’s quite funny.”
As for the big night itself, Roxanne says she’s going to take her biggest fan and greatest critic – her mum Monica – and will be going easy at the after-show party.
“I’m never the one getting drunk because I talk that much and I’m so overwhelmed by seeing everyone that I forget to even have a sip of Champagne. But I always have a little Bridget Jones moment no matter what I’m doing or where I am.
“At the first soap awards I had a dress disaster. It didn’t fit properly and I felt rubbish. As soon as I got out of the car, I put my heel through the dress and ripped it. That wasn’t a good moment!”
As for Emmerdale, Roxanne says she’s committed to developing her character Jo as long as the writers are.
"It’s challenging. You take it home with you when you deal with such emotional stuff. You can’t really switch off. But I’m a strong believer that it wouldn’t be so great if it wasn’t hard work. I love the challenge of it and it can be hard work. But equally – if not more – rewarding because I’m living my dream.”
And there are certainly more intense scenes on the way for Roxanne.
“All I know is that the domestic violence storyline is ongoing. It’s not something that we’re going to skim over. They’re really dealing with it sensitively and Andy is going to become quite manipulative with Jo.
“I like to play it as I know it and I don’t like to pre-empt it. I think it’s healthier for a character to be played blind really. And I know the Emmerdale team have a lot up their sleeves.”
It’s time for Roxanne to dash back to the studio, but she has time for a quick message to some other people who are facing a big day on Saturday.
“Fingers crossed for everyone at Emmerdale at the awards . . . and good luck to Carlisle United.”
- The British Soap Awards will be shown on ITV1 on Wednesday. Vote for your favourite soap online at www.britishsoapawards.tv or text SOAP plus the name of your favourite to 63339.
