I starred on Hollyoaks but when my character was killed I got a normal job selling antiques and homemade soap

SOAP fans will no doubt recognise Kierston Wareing for her roles in Hollyoaks and EastEnders.

The 47-year-old starred in Hollyoaks in 2015 as drug dealer Ashley Davidson who was murdered by serial killer Lindsey Butterfield [Sophie Austin].

Between 2012 and 2014 Kierston played Kirsty Branning in EastEnders and was revealed as Max Branning [Jake Wood]'s secret wife on Christmas Day 2012.

She has also appeared in dramas including Scott & Bailey with Suranne Jones and Netflix hit Top Boy.

These days Kierston sells vintage clothes, antiques, homemade soaps and baby products via Instagram.

Links from her official Instagram page take customers to two different pages selling the products.

Following her exit from EastEnders in 2014, Kierston revealed she'd "worried" she would be in the soap "forever".

She said: "I didn’t believe in any of the storylines, it became ridiculous.

"I was always worried that I might be in EastEnders for ever, but they made that decision for me."

Kierston told the : "[Kirsty] was a wet drip by the end of it.

"When I joined the show there were layers to it. 'Is she nice? Is she not nice?'

"I had all these ideas. I wanted it to be really gritty but no one wanted to do anything like that."