Outnumbered star admits they’re ‘scared’ as they start normal job just weeks after Christmas special
BBC sitcom Outnumbered aired its Christmas special in December, but one of its stars is now stepping out from the world of TV to embrace a more ‘normal’ career.
Actress Ramona Marquez, who plays Karen in the long running BBC sitcom, has quit acting to instead pursue a career as a tattoo artist.
Speaking on TikTok, the 23-year-old revealed she’s finished her her first week as a professional tattooist at El Museo Studio in south London.
Adding clips of herself at work, including some of her first tattoo designs and working on a client Ramona revealed she was ‘nervous’ for her new career.
She captioned the clip: “Beginning of the week I was so ready but also a little nervous naturally.”
She continued: “So proud of myself for doing it despite being scared AF and having to deal with severe ADHD that makes things so much harder.
“Trying to remind myself that because of my ADHD I may make mistakes with timings and bookings but that is out of my control and it’s okay. It doesn’t mean I can’t or shouldn’t be doing it.”
She’s been supported by fans who have praised her for the new career move and her work, as one wrote: “How do I book because I genuinely think it would be an honour to be tattooed by you.”
Another added: “You made my childhood! And now as an adult I can get tattooed by you!!!”
“Such a huge step, and you smashed it! It’s only up from here,” said a third.
A fourth posted: “You’re so good omg especially considering it’s your first week with clients.”
Outnumbered aired its Christmas special in December, yet the festive episode wasn’t as well received as the BBC might have hoped.
Viewers branded the Christmas episode as ‘depressing’ and ‘bleak’, as the episode touched upon parenthood and illness with its cancer storyline.
Speaking about the negativity, Ramona wrote on her Instagram Story: “Thank you for all your kind messages it means so much to me … someone said there was a lot of negativity over on twitter and that made me sad So thank you for the love and support.”
Co-creator Guy Jenkin explained at a Q&A that the storyline was intended to help viewers dealing with cancer, and to help make them feel less alone.
The Metro reported Guy said: “There’s still a stigma attached to the word cancer, and we just wanted to show how very, very normal it is, as well as how the Brockmans dealt with it with warmth, love, and especially humour, because that’s a very British way of dealing with that sort of stuff.”
Outnumbered first aired for five series from 2007 until 2014 on BBC One.
It was later revived for a Christmas special on Boxing Day 2016, which attracted an average of seven million viewers.