My lockdown breach at quarantine rave was stupid and irresponsible, says Chelsee Healey
WHEN Hollyoaks actress Chelsee Healey was caught breaching lockdown rules at a quarantine rave, she feared the public backlash.
Four months on, the former Strictly star, 32, has admitted her behaviour was “stupid and irresponsible” and insists she has learned her lesson, saying: “It’s hard to resist the temptation of breaking the rules but they have to be followed.”
Chelsee, who has three-year-old daughter Coco, is now so determined to stay safe in the crisis that she has banned new boyfriend Jake McLean from visiting her home.
Of her lockdown breach in June, she says: “I made a silly mistake. I am truly sorry.
“I now realise it was stupid and irresponsible.
“The whole Covid thing has definitely taken its toll on everyone.
“This time I will just have to abide by the rules until it blows over. You have to abide by the rules.”
Chelsee lives in Manchester, which has now been put under Tier 3 restrictions, while Jake’s home is a four-hour drive away in London.
She says: “I haven’t been seeing him as often as I might have done because of the restrictions, my work and Coco.
“I won’t be locking down with anyone I’m seeing because I’ve got a daughter and she’s my first priority, and he’s in London and that would be too much of a drama.
“I’ll just stick with the baby, me and work.”
In an exclusive interview, Chelsee tells how she almost went “under” after being mercilessly trolled on social media during lockdown.
The stress led the actress to delete her Instagram account and Chelsee has vowed to protect her daughter from similar abuse, by stopping her from working in showbiz.
Salford-born Chelsee has a TV career spanning more than 17 years.
She is best known for playing Janeece Bryant in Waterloo Road between 2006 and 2011, and Honey Wright in Casualty from 2014 to 2015.
She branched out into reality TV, showing her skills on Strictly Come Dancing in 2011, when she was partnered with Pasha Kovalev and came second to McFly drummer Harry Judd.
Last year she tried her luck on E4’s Celebs Go Dating, having failed to find love following the breakdown of a relationship when she was pregnant with her daughter.
After a string of failed early romances, including a very publicised kiss with her Waterloo Road co-star Lucien Laviscount at a Christmas party in 2011, she fell for Jack Malloy, but they called time just before Chelsee discovered she was pregnant with his child.
She started dating current boyfriend Jake earlier this year.
Chelsee has played mouthy Goldie McQueen in Hollyoaks since 2016 and says she is thrilled to be a part of the soap as it celebrates its 25-year anniversary this week.
More than ever, she feels lucky to still have a job during the current crisis.
Chelsee says: “I’m just grateful to be working when so many people aren’t.
“I never get a minute to myself, which is probably a good thing.
“When I start to think about things too much, that’s when I go under.
“Coco keeps me on the level. I’m just trying to keep a positive attitude about it all.”
In May, when the entire country was in lockdown due to coronavirus, Chelsee was caught breaking the rules by driving 200 miles to Jake’s home.
Sources at the time said “they couldn’t bear to not see each other”.
Jake, the ex of Towie star Lauren Goodger, was jailed for three-and-a-half years for robbing a family at gunpoint two days before Christmas in 2006.
Then in June, Chelsee was spotted with fellow Hollyoaks star Malique Thompson-Dwyer, 22, and thousands of other revellers drinking and partying at the illegal rave in Manchester.
She became the target of online trolls who sent her vile abuse — some aimed at her daughter.
She says: “I had such a build-up of negativity. One wrote, ‘Right s**t aren’t ya?’ and racially abused Coco. That was just evil. It’s impossible to process how people can be so evil, to attack an innocent baby.
“I dealt with a lot of racism growing up and had a lot of names thrown at me on social media. I’ve got quite a thick skin now — but if you say anything about my daughter, that just isn’t good.
“If they were in front of me when they said that about my daughter, it would have been game over.”
The abusive comments and private messages were relentless. Meanwhile, Chelsee was being sent unwanted pictures of naked men.
She says: “The people that sent them are disgusting pieces of s**t. I blocked them and reported them immediately.
“The companies should do something about it. I don’t think messages like that should be allowed.
“I didn’t respond, I don’t even want to get into conversation with whoever is sending them.”
Chelsee removed herself from Instagram a month ago and says it has transformed her life.
She said: “I feel a whole lot better psychologically. It’s been the right decision, as I feel so much happier.
“I have had to do it to clear my head. I feel different, it’s done me good. It was a build-up of negativity there, people judging me.
“Now I’ve realised you just need to take a step back and remember that the person sending these messages must be so sad within their own lives, to attack an innocent baby.”
Despite landing a top role in the sexiest soap on TV, Chelsee still struggles with body confidence.
She has openly talked about having a breast enhancement at 18 years old, taking her to a 30G, then another seven years later to reduce her cup size to a D.
Experts have also speculated about other surgeries she may have had, including rhinoplasty, Botox and fillers in her lips and cheeks.
Chelsee lost 2st during the months after giving birth to Coco and is now the lightest she has ever been.
She managed to maintain her tiny size-six figure during lockdown, while thousands piled on the pounds.
Chelsee adds: “I feel really honoured to be part of Hollyoaks. It has beautiful people in it but I don’t see myself like that. My personality makes up for the looks.
“There’s never been a time when I’ve been fully content in my appearance, but as I’ve got older I have learnt to be happier with things.
“Being a mum definitely puts life into perspective and things I used to worry about all the time just don’t feel as important now.”
Two years ago Chelsee had revealed plans to undergo a second breast- reduction op to take her down to a B-cup, but today she says: “I accept my flaws and my imperfections more now, and I appreciate myself looks-wise and how I am as a person.
“I don’t think I’d change anything about me now.
“The one thing I’m 100-per-cent happy with is my heart.
“My heart is perfect and that’s the important thing.”
So, too, is making sure her daughter leads a happy life.
Determined that Coco will not face the same level of online abuse as she has, Chelsee wants her to have a “normal” job.
She says: “No way do I want Coco to go into showbusiness.
“Coco loves performing and really loves to dance but if she chooses to go into showbiz, I’d advise her not to.
“It’s quite a hard industry and, to be honest, I want her to become a doctor or lawyer, something normal.
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“If I have my way, she won’t follow in my footsteps.
“She’s got the biggest personality I’ve ever come across.
“My mum said she’s even naughtier than I was — and I was really naughty, a very cheeky kid, so I’ve got my work cut out.”
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