Former Emmerdale star Roxanne Pallett has stepped down from her job on York-based Minster FM and pulled out of playing Cinderella in a pantomime in Chesterfield following the controversy over her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother.
Pallett, 35, had accused former Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas of punching her repeatedly inside the Big Brother House, ”like a boxer punches a bag”.
The false claim attracted more than 11,000 complaints to Ofcom and Pallett later said: “I massively apologise to Ryan, his friends and fans and every single person who watched that.
“[It was] an overreaction to what wasn’t a malicious act. I was sensitive and emotional and mistook what was playful – I apologise for it, I shouldn’t have questioned his motivation.”
Minster FM said Pallett, who presented the station’s breakfast show, was leaving “to take some time out and reflect on recent events”. She had quit with “immediate effect” following discussions with her representatives and would not be returning to her role alongside co-host Ben Fry, the station added.
Pallett, who starred as Jo Sugden in Emmerdale between 2005 and 2009, joined the station in February this year.
The actress walked out of Celebrity Big Brother on Friday night after hearing a chorus of boos and chants of “Get Roxanne out” from the crowd. Prior to the live eviction, viewers saw Thomas break down in the house’s diary room, saying the accusations had “broken” him.
