McCutcheon Took EastEnders Role Out of Desperation

has admitted she didn't want to do EastEnders but took the role because she was broke. 

The actress and singer, 49, rose to fame in the  soap as Tiffany Mitchell - who she played from 1995 until 1999.

But now Martine has opened up about how she 'really didn't want to do it' until her agent convinced her to audition because she 'wasn't earning anything'.

Speaking to The i paper, she said: 'When I was offered EastEnders I really didn't want to do it – not because it wasn't a great job, it just wasn't the right job for me. 

'It was based in reality and it was everything that I was trying to get away from. My agent said to me, "Look, you're broke, you're working in a shop earning hardly anything, go for it and then if you get it, you get it, and if you don't, then don't worry about it".'

However Martine went on to say that taking the role was a great experience and she formed friendships that felt like family.  

Sharing the interview on her Instagram Story on Monday, Martine referenced her quote saying she didn't want the role as she said: 'But as you can see (The clue is in the title of the piece - The Making Of Me). Sometimes god doesn't give you what you want, you get what you need - And I ended up loving it at . 

'A rare work place, where my friends there, felt like family. We had eachothers backs and at THE time, I was still only 18 AND GROWING UP IN FRONT OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, SO I WILL NEVER FORGET THE GUIDANCE, CARE AND HUMOUR I EXPERIENCED. 

'I WILL ALSO NEVER FORGET SOMETIMES FILMING 22 SCENES IN ONE DAY AND HAVING TO BE MORE ON THE BALL AND DISCIPLINED FOR THAT JOB THAN FOR ANY OTHER! SO IT DEFINITELY PUT ME IN GOOD STEAD! 

'READ MY LATEST INTERVIEW ABOUT MY LIFE, HOPES AND MY DREAMS NOW!'

Late last year, Martine defiantly said she refuses to as she prepares to turn 50 years old. 

She has had a turbulent few years after a bitter fallout with her mum Jenny Tomlin and the breakdown of her 18-year marriage to Jack McManus. 

But ahead of her 50th birthday next year, Martine has said she is looking forward, not back.

Martine said she is refusing to apologise for her opinions and owning her voice anymore - and is learning to say no to people. 

'I feel excited about this next chapter because I know myself so much more,' she said. 'And I'm so not sorry for my own opinions, my own voice, my own limitations and being able to say, always with the most respect, "No, no, no".' 

She added: 'I just want to have fun. I want to find out, away from career and family, what just brings me fun.' 

Elsewhere Martine's estranged mother Jenny emotionally reached out to the star to . 

Martine and her author mother, 69, were once close, however, in a heartbreaking interview, Jenny admitted she pushed her daughter away after suffering an emotional breakdown following (affectionally known as LJ) in 2022. 

Confessing the pain of the distance between her and Martine, Jenny admitted that she 'misses' her daughter so much that it 'physically hurts' and is now reaching out to say 'sorry' after losing contact.

Speaking to OK! magazine, Jenny said: 'When I lost LJ, I detached. I was so heartbroken I couldn't talk to Martine. There was no big row – Martine tried to contact me for months, but I didn't answer. Martine was grieving and needed me, too. I want the chance to say sorry. I miss her so much – it physically hurts.'

She went on to add: 'I didn't contact Martine. I abandoned her. I was so wrapped up in my own grief that I was neglecting my other child. That was the start of it, and things just… snowballed. And here we are.' 

Jenny told how the pair were briefly in touch last October when Martine 'texted me out of the blue' to ask a favour of her husband Alan, however, Jenny admitted the meeting was 'awkward' with a 'heavy atmosphere'. 

While there were vague plans to unite at Christmas, nothing came of it and their relationship has fallen silence ever since, with Jenny's attempts at getting in contact proving fruitless.

Jenny suggested that she had no choice but to do the interview to beg for Martine to get back in touch, adding that there's not a day that she doesn't think of her daughter. 

She added: 'I don't think I'll ever stop trying when it comes to my girl. If I could speak to Martine, I'd tell her how sorry I am. I've lost one child, I don't want to lose another.' 

Jenny concluded that she's seen what silence does to families and doesn't want to be 'another story of regret', and hopes that she and Martine can 'find our way back'.