Former Hollyoaks actress Sarah Jayne Dunn has opened up about how the decision to leave the Cheshire-based soap was made for her, after she joined risqué subscription website OnlyFans. The Manchester-born star, currently flying the flag for lingerie brand Raine & Bea’s ‘Theatrical flair for everyday wear’ campaign, reveals the decision “was taken out of her hands” following her OnlyFans move.
But Sarah, who now admits she feels sexier than ever, has decided to speak out to change the narrative surrounding OnlyFans. During an exclusive interview with New, Sarah openly addresses her early fame, her OnlyFans success, her body confidence and how her shock exit from the Channel 4 soap was misconstrued.
Former Hollyoaks actress Sarah Jayne Dunn has opened up about how she was forced to quite the soap after she joined risqué subscription website OnlyFans(Image: Instagram)
Sarah says she’s determined not to let age or what she calls “social conditioning” stand in the way of her stripping off. She told the publication: “I feel so much more comfortable and confident in my body today.
“I don’t feel like I’m trying to tick any box of what I want my body to be, I just want to be strong and healthy and have longevity. I want to get older to still be fit and strong. I want to be able to play with my son, to continue to go to the gym, that’s what’s important.”
But Sarah says she’s only become more confident in her own skin as she’s gotten older and when she first started on screen when she was 14, she was still finding herself and her body was changing. She said of some roles she had when she was younger: “My body was being scrutinised and it was being edited without my permission.
Sarah wants to change the narrative surrounding OnlyFans – especially as she feels she was “sexualised and monetised” by others and wasn’t benefiting(Image: Instagram)
She continued: “You know, my boobs were being made bigger and my tummy was being made flawless. And all the natural things – and imperfections is the wrong word, because they’re not imperfections – were removed. So I grew up not knowing what my body should or did look like. I’d see a picture of it in a lads’ mag, then look at it in the mirror, and it was different.”
It’s why Sarah wants to change the narrative surrounding OnlyFans. Speaking of her content on the website, she said: “I’ve got a lovely following and I create content that I was creating anyway but I do it now on my terms and it really works for me. I won’t do it forever, but it’s given me a really comfortable life and I enjoy it, so I don’t see myself stopping it any time soon.
“One of the reasons I’ve become a “voice”, is because I put my foot down against being sexualised and monetised by others and not benefiting at all, saying “this isn’t okay any more”. I think that resonated with a lot of people. I used to be a bit of a people pleaser, and I think a lot of us feel like that, so it’s nice to see somebody set boundaries, take control and succeed. I’ve had lots of support, particularly from women.”
Sarah says she’s only become more confident in her own skin as she’s gotten older and when she first started on screen when she was 14, she was still finding herself and her body was changing(Image: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery)
The actress is best known for having played Mandy Richardson on the long-running soap for more than two decades before her departure in 2021. She was given an ultimatum by Hollyoaks bosses when they insisted that she shut down her profile on OnlyFans, saying that her racy shots were not good for publicity.
She refused to shut down her page, with the star then revealing she thinks she knows which of her Hollyoaks co-stars made an official complaint about her account on the adult subscription-based website. Sarah’s character first appeared on Hollyoaks in 1996 and left the show when Mandy suddenly jetted off to LA.
Sarah has been open about her OnlyFans career and what led to her departure from the soap. And now, she opened up about being ‘sexualised’ while working as an actress but ‘not being allowed to do it on her own terms’.
The actress is best known for having played Mandy Richardson on the long-running soap for more than two decades before her departure in 2021(Image: Instagram)
She added: “I never really left, it was sort of misconstrued. When I joined OnlyFans, it was never my intention to leave the show [ Hollyoaks ]. That decision was taken out of my hands, and widely publicised. When you’re an actor, you don’t ever “leave”, you’re in-between jobs. I’ve auditioned for other stuff, and if the right job came along and it fitted into my life and schedule, then I’d do it.
“I’ve been acting since I was a teen, so there’s always going to be part of me that misses it. But I’ve got a lovely life now, loads of free time and I love being my own boss. One thing I do miss is the banter and the camaraderie of being with people and creating something together. But a lot of jobs involve working away from home, and I don’t want to do that for long periods because of my son.”
Speaking about lingerie brand Raine & Bea’s new campaign, Sarah said: “It’s such an honour to be ambassador for the new Raine and Bea collection. I’ve been a fan of Jenna’s work for years now and always love wearing her pieces, I’m so excited that she’s bringing her work to the masses with her diffusion line and the collection is stunning. I felt a million dollars wearing one of her new designs on launch night. I can’t wait to wear more of the collection soon!”
