A former soap star, who appeared on Strictly Come Dancing , now has a very normal job after not wanting to be “shipped off all over the country acting” anymore. Brummie favourite Sarah Manners shot to fame playing Joanna Helm in the BBC soap Doctors - making her debut in 2000. As receptionist Joanna, Sarah was one of the soap’s original nine regulars and became a hit with viewers.
She also played a big part in several dramatic storylines over the years. Gushing over her time on the soap Sarah said in 2012: “I got the best storylines in the world in Doctors. “My nan died of a brain tumour then it came out I killed her.
I went mad and was addicted to anti-depressants, forged signatures and tried to kill myself,” she told MailOnline. However, in 2001, Sarah quit the Birmingham-based soap. Joanna’s exit storyline saw her leave the practice after assisting her grandmother, Jessie Helm (Marcia Ashton), die in a euthanasia pact.
Sarah then went on to star in BBC medical drama Holby City from 2003 to 2005, playing Bex Reynolds. She also joined the cast of ITV ’s long-running drama The Bill in 2010 - where she played Kirsty Knight. And in 2004, Sarah turned her hand to dancing, by signing up to the second series of Strictly Come Dancing .
She was partnered with Brendan Cole on the BBC One show - and came in fifth place. However, in 2014, Sarah ventured out of the world of acting and qualified as a Pilates instructor. Talking about the change from acting to Pilates, Sar.