Holby City’s Laila Rouass details her experience with racism

Holby City’s Laila Rouass reveals she used to get urine ‘thrown at me every single day’ as a child as she details her experience with racism

Holby City’s Laila Rouass has detailed the vile racist abuse she was subjected to as a child. 

The actress, who was born in Stepney, London to an Indian mother and a Moroccan father, revealed she was picked on by bullies ‘every single day’. 

And Laila, 49, has said the racist abuse has continued into adulthood and spoke of how she labelled a ‘f*****g P**i’ in the street mere months ago.

Bullied: Holby City’s Laila Rouass has detailed the vile racist abuse she was subjected to as a child 

In an interview with The Mirror, the Footballer’s Wives star said: ‘I got p**s thrown at me every single day.

‘Just a couple of months ago some guy cut me up in his car and shouted: ‘F*** off, you f*****g P**i.’

‘It’s terrible. If you tell people they don’t believe it happens so often.’

Cruel: The actress, who was born in Stepney, London to an Indian mother and a Moroccan father, revealed she was picked on by bullies 'every single day' (Laila pictured as a child)

Cruel: The actress, who was born in Stepney, London to an Indian mother and a Moroccan father, revealed she was picked on by bullies ‘every single day’ (Laila pictured as a child)

She's back: Laila returned to Holby City earlier this month as registrar Sahira Shah, after an eight year hiatus

She’s back: Laila returned to Holby City earlier this month as registrar Sahira Shah, after an eight year hiatus

Laila returned to Holby City earlier this month as registrar Sahira Shah, after an eight year hiatus. 

Last year, Laila, who is married to snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan, claimed Hollyoaks bosses forced her to strip off for raunchy calendar shoot leaving her feeling ‘dirty and weak’ when she starred in the show as a police detective in 2003.

She tweeted at the time: ‘To those “at the top” – I spoke to @Hollyoaks when I was there about comments made to me… you did nothing. Absolutely nothing!

‘The fact is… you made me fear for my job so much so that I begged my agent to find me something else. You called me stupid, silly and so much more. 

Real-life: Laila is married to snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan [pictured in 2016]

Real-life: Laila is married to snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan [pictured in 2016]

‘My agent found me something else, I left and you made me pay 10’s of thousands of pounds to get out of my contract a couple of months early despite my experiences there…

‘When I told you I didn’t want to feature in you annual calendar where we instructed to wear almost nothing, you booked my flight to Spain anyway. Your reasoning… “we don’t have anyone that looks like you on the show”. The pressure you put on me made me feel helpless and stuck. 

‘I got on that plane, I took the photos, I felt dirty and weak afterwards but luckily I got another job, paid my way out of the contract (which I’ve never heard of any actor doing) And I wasn’t featured in the calendar. It was the best money I spent.

In character: Last year, Laila claimed Hollyoaks bosses forced her to strip off for raunchy calendar shoot leaving her feeling 'dirty and weak' when she starred in the show in 2003

In character: Last year, Laila claimed Hollyoaks bosses forced her to strip off for raunchy calendar shoot leaving her feeling ‘dirty and weak’ when she starred in the show in 2003

‘So now you’re going to do something about it. I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that. But the truth be told… where were you when I reached out? I can’t begin to imagine what other stories may surface but that was my experience. I managed 8 months and it was enough.

‘On the bright side, I was inspired by the very young cast… I was inspired by their professionalism and their zest. Their kindness and the way they welcomed me has stayed with me since. #dobetter’.

MailOnline approached Lime Pictures for further comment at the time.  

No holding back: She took to Twitter after Hollyoaks producers Lime Pictures issued a statement in response to the racism claims from Rachel Adedeji

No holding back: She took to Twitter after Hollyoaks producers Lime Pictures issued a statement in response to the racism claims from Rachel Adedeji

Lime Pictures issued a statement after Rachel Adedeji accused the show of racism. They said: ‘Hollyoaks has been deeply shocked and saddened by issues that have been brought to our attention.

‘Lime Pictures strives to have zero tolerance of racism or any form of discrimination across all of its shows but it is clear we have further work to do.  

‘We must stamp out implicit bias which means calling out racism wherever and whenever we see it.  

‘We will continue to add to our action plan as we continue and broaden our dialogue with cast and staff.’ 

Slammed: Lime Pictures issued a statement after Rachel Adedeji, who plays Lisa Loveday, accused the show of racism [pictured 2019]

Slammed: Lime Pictures issued a statement after Rachel Adedeji, who plays Lisa Loveday, accused the show of racism [pictured 2019]