She’s become one of the soap’s breakout stars, with a nomination for Best Newcomer at this year’s British Soap Awards.

But EastEnders star Laura Doddington has revealed that she came close to quitting her 22-year acting career, before she landed her role on the soap.

The actress, 44, has fast become a fan favourite as Nicola Mitchell in the BBC soap, with her character’s historic affair causing huge fireworks in Albert Square this week.

Speaking to The Mirror, Laura shared that she was considering changing her career before she landed her breakout soap part.

She said: ‘The industry is hard at the moment. Before this audition came through, I’d been looking at retraining to do something else, I’ve got a young kid. And that makes you think about their future and stability for them.’

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EastEnders star Laura Doddington has revealed that she came close to quitting her 22-year acting career, before she landed her role on the soap

Despite roles in Doctors, Holby City and Casualty, as well as work on the stage, Laura shared that she debated training as a hairdresser before the Walford role came along. 

Having previously starred in Doctors, Holby City and Casualty as well as on the stage – the lead role Laura had hoped for just wasn’t coming.

She added: ‘I cut my son’s hair and I’m sort of reasonably good at it, so I thought that might be an option. I was in Prime Suspect when I was in my 20s and The Midwich Cuckoos, but they weren’t mᴀssive parts. I was beginning to think it might not be possible to have that lead role.’

Laura landed her role as Nicola just nine months ago, and already she’s made a huge splash and become a fan favourite.

The actress added: ‘Unfortunately in this industry when you get to over the age of about 35 and you haven’t made a name for yourself, the interesting roles sort of start drying up. It’s just the way that it is and the way the world is a little bit. 

‘That’s why I love soaps and continuing dramas as they champion individuals of all ages and put characters at the heart of storytelling.’

The new Mitchell clan made a dramatic arrival in Walford, with Teddy and his sons Harry and Barney revealed to be Stevie’s secret family.

Nicola then arrived in Walford later in the year, having been in prison for injecting unlicensed filler.

The actress had landed roles in shows such as Casualty and Prime Suspect (pictured), but confessed she was close to training to be a hairdresser 

She added: ‘I cut my son’s hair and I’m sort of reasonably good at it, so I thought that might be an option’

In tense scenes earlier this month, Nicola confessed she’d killed Harry’s girlfriend Shireen, in a bid to hide that Zack Hudson is actually Barney’s real father.

After the parternity bombshell came to light, Harry kidnapped Zack to prevent him from telling Barney, and they crashed into a lake.

In Thursday’s upcoming episode, Zack is still missing and feared ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.

Laura is set to grace the red carpet for this year’s Soap Awards, after landing a nomination for Best Newcomer opposite Jacob Roberts as Corrie’s Kit Green, Emmerdale’s Shebz Miah as Kammy Hadiq and Hollyoaks star Isabelle Smith as Frankie Osborne.

The glitzy event will be returning to London to Hackney Empire, after previously taking place in Manchester, and will once again be hosted by Jane McDonald as it returns following a surprise hiatus last year.

As always, the numerous accolades will be presented by an array of well-known faces from across the TV and showbiz world, with the TV event broadcasting a few days later in a primetime slot.

The actress has fast become a fan favourite as Nicola Mitchell in the BBC soap, with her character’s historic affair causing huge fireworks in Albert Square this week

The ceremony will celebrate a mammoth year in soaps looking back on 12 months of murder, mystery, make-ups, break ups, trials, tribulations and tears.

Meanwhile Hollyoaks leapt a year into the future and in Emmerdale a dramatic limousine crash into a frozen lake left viewers stunned.

The Viewer Voted Categories include Best British Soap, Best Leading Performer, Villain of the Year and Best Comedy Performance.

The nominees for Best Leading Performer are Lacey Turner (Stacey Slater, EastEnders), Kellie Bright (Linda Carter, EastEnders), Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle, Emmerdale) and Beth Cordingly (Ruby Miligan, Emmerdale).

And the public has a tough choice when it comes to Villain of the Year with Calum Lill (Joel Deering, Coronation Street), Navin Chowdhry (Nish Panesar, EastEnders), Ned Porteous (Joe Tate, Emmerdale) and Tyler Conti (Abe Fielding, Hollyoaks) to choose from.

The Best Comedy Performance category includes Jack P Shepherd (David Platt, Coronation Street), Patsy Palmer (Bianca Jackson, EastEnders), Nicola Wheeler (Nicola King, Emmerdale) and Nicole Barber-Lane (Myra McQueen, Hollyoaks).

The ceremony, which first began in 1999, was rested in 2024 but is back with Jane hosting the ceremony which will air on ITV1 and ITVX in June.

The Soap Awards will take place on Saturday at Hackney Empire, London and will broadcast at 8pm on June 5 on ITV1.

British Soap Awards 2025: Full List of Nominations 

Viewer Voted Categories:

Best British Soap:

Coronation Street

EastEnders

Emmerdale

Hollyoaks

Best Leading Performer:

Lacey Turner (Stacey Slater, EastEnders)

Kellie Bright (Linda Carter, EastEnders)

Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle, Emmerdale)

Beth Cordingly (Ruby Miligan, Emmerdale)

Villain of the Year:

Calum Lill (Joel Deering, Coronation Street)

Navin Chowdhry (Nish Panesar, EastEnders)

Ned Porteous (Joe Tate, Emmerdale)

Tyler Conti (Abe Fielding, Hollyoaks)

Best Comedy Performance:

Jack P Shepherd (David Platt, Coronation Street)

Patsy Palmer (Bianca Jackson, EastEnders)

Nicola Wheeler (Nicola King, Emmerdale)

Nicole Barber-Lane (Myra McQueen, Hollyoaks)

Panel Voted Categories:

Best Family:

The Platts (Coronation Street)

The Slaters (EastEnders)

The Dingles (Emmerdale)

The Osbornes (Hollyoaks)

Best Dramatic Performance:

Peter Ash (Paul Foreman, Coronation Street)

Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell, EastEnders)

Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle, Emmerdale)

Isabelle Smith (Frankie Osborne, Hollyoaks)

Best Single Episode:

Mason’s death (Coronation Street)

Phil’s psychosis: the Mitchells in 1985 (EastEnders)

April’s life on the streets (Emmerdale)

Hollyoaks time jump (Hollyoaks)

Best On-Screen Partnership:

Alison King and Vicky Myers (Carla Connor and Lisa Swain, Coronation Street)

Rudolph Walker and Angela Wynter (Patrick and Yolande Trueman, EastEnders)

William Ash and Beth Cordingly (Caleb and Ruby Miligan, Emmerdale)

Nathaniel Dᴀss and Oscar Curtis (Dillon Ray and Lucas Hay, Hollyoaks)

Best Newcomer:

Jacob Roberts (Kit Green, Coronation Street)

Laura Doddington (Nicola Mitchell, EastEnders)

Shebz Miah (Kammy Hadiq, Emmerdale)

Isabelle Smith (Frankie Osborne, Hollyoaks)

Best Storyline:

Paul’s battle with MND (Coronation Street)

Phil Mitchell: Hypermasculinity in crisis (EastEnders)

Belle and Tom – Domestic Abuse (Emmerdale)

Sibling Sєxual abuse (Hollyoaks)

Best Young Performer:

Will Flanagan (Joseph Winter-Brown, Coronation Street)

Sonny Kendall (Tommy Moon, EastEnders)

Amelia Flanagan (April Windsor, Emmerdale)

Noah Holdsworth (Oscar Osborne, Hollyoaks)

Scene of the Year:

Mason’s death (Coronation Street)

Angie Watts’ shock return (EastEnders)

Amy’s deathly plunge reveals a grisly secret (Emmerdale)

Mercedes confronts her mortality (Hollyoaks)