Lindsey Coulson: EastEnders' Carol Jackson star warned to 'prepare for backlash' over role
LINDSEY COULSON - who is best known for starring as Carol Jackson in EastEnders - has revealed how she was initially warned to "prepare for backlash" before being a part of the first mixed-race couple in EastEnders in the nineties.
Lindsey Coulson admits stunt double played Carol Jackson
EastEnders star, Lindsey Coulson, 60, who is best known for playing the role of Carol Jackson until 2015, has revealed how BBC bosses told her to "prepare for backlash" before being in the first mixed-race couple on EastEnders with Howard Antony, who played her on-screen husband, Alan Jackson. The BBC favourite told OK! Magazine how it was a "breakthrough" moment for the soap.
During an interview, Lindsey, who now stars alongside Noel Clarke and Ashley Walters in Bulletproof, explained how she is proud to be on a show with "two black men as the leads".
The actress then went on to say how she is also proud to have been cast in the first mixed-race couple in EastEnders.
Lindsey divulged: "I am also proud to have been part of the first mixed race couple on EastEnders. That was quite a breakthrough moment in the 90s.
"The sad thing is I remember one of the producers having to take me aside to prepare me for a potential backlash," she remarked.
READ MORE: EastEnders’ Lindsey Coulson reveals TRUTH behind Carol's moving exit
"I said, ‘Bring it on’. It was a pivotal moment in television, and lots of people would come up to me and say how amazing it was to see a family like theirs on telly."
Lindsey explained: "It shouldn’t be underestimated how valuable it is to see something that reflects your own situation on TV."
A representative for EastEnders declined to comment when approached by Express.co.uk.
The BBC star also mentioned how she didn't receive much negativity as social media wasn't in the picture at the time.
Lindsey added: "I only got one negative letter and that was mainly because they didn’t like me.
"We didn’t have social media then so that might have shielded me. The only thing I would change about my character is how much she slapped her kids."
Lindsey also spoke about how it was "the right time" for her to leave EastEnders in 2015, as it was "true to that character".
The soap star joined the cast in 1993 and starred in 913 episodes before departing the show for good five years ago.
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Meanwhile, Lindsey previously discussed why she had to leave the hit soap back in 2016, as she wanted to "challenge herself".
She explained: "It was very hard to leave, because I loved the people, I was getting paid well, but something inside me said, 'You've got to go' - I had to.
"I didn't know what it was I had to do, but I had to make those decisions to challenge myself."
Lindsey also told DigitalSpy at the time: "The reality of any actor, and certainly as you get older, is the possibilities might get less, so you jump off that cliff.
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"EastEnders is all-consuming and it's lovely when you're in there, being consumed by that, but when you come off the wheel, you have to catch your breath."
Lindsey was previously quizzed on whether she would consider returning to the programme and she stated: "It's not even in my thought process.
"I'm taking it a day at a time. At the moment, I'm really enjoying the space, but talk to me again when I've been unemployed for a year!"
The TV star has played the character of DCI Sarah Tanner in Bulletproof for two series since 2018.
The series follows detectives Aaron Bishop and Ronnie Pike Jr investigating criminals whilst being overseen by their boss Sarah Tanner.
