Suranne Jones says soaps 'use their girls' and encouraged lads mags photoshoots

TV star Suranne Jones has said soaps such as Coronation Street “use their girls” and encouraging them to do photoshoots in “a bra and knickers”.

The 41-year-old gained national recognition for her role as popular Karen McDonald on Corrie between 2000 and 2004.

But the star, who has enjoyed success on TV dramas such as Gentleman Jack and Save Me since leaving the famous cobbles, has accused soaps of encouraging a culture of stripping down for lads magazines.

Read more: Doctor Foster's Suranne Jones appears to rule out a third series of the BBC show

She told the Give Me Strength podcast: “The first few months was about me being whisked off and put in a bikini in Barbados.

"At this time I’d only been on one holiday abroad to Spain with my mates. I was like, ‘Wow’.

“Then I was on a celeb special for Stars In Their Eyes, then put in a magazine with a bra and knickers on. They’d give you a glass of champagne to get you a little loose.

"I remember thinking it was fun at first, but I realised it wasn’t what I signed up to.

“There are some dodgy photos out there, there’s one in a diner where I am squirting ketchup and mustard.”

She added it wasn’t the ITV soap who was guilty though, saying: “I don’t think Coronation Street was alone in that. I think all of the soaps used their girls in that way.”

Jones left Coronation Street at the hight of her characters popularity and never looked back thanks to her continued success on the small screen.

One such role which has brought success is playing a GP named Gemma in the BBC one drama Doctor Foster.

However fans hoping for a third series of the show were disappointed when Jones revealed her character is “done”.

Read more: Suranne Jones says she vets scripts to make sure they are not ‘too harrowing’

Asked by Radio Times whether the door the show, Jones said: "Yes. I haven't said that before in interviews, as I tend to say: who knows? I loved it, I love Mike Bartlett, I love [the producers] Drama Republic.

"Series one was amazing, series two, equally, peaked at nearly ten million viewers and pushed in crazy directions. But I think Gemma's done."

The Give Me Strength podcast is available to listen to online now.