Emmerdale actress Anna Nightingale, who plays Andrea Tate on the ITV soap, has revealed she was 'bullied horrifically' at school. The 38-year-old attended an all-girls school in Manchester where she endured physical and emotional abuse.
Speaking to the Daily Star, Nightingale said: 'I had a frizzy perm, acne and glasses. I went to an all-girls school and did very well academically, but it was horrible. I got beaten up a couple of times.' She credited her mother and one close friend for helping her maintain confidence during the ordeal.
At 16, Nightingale left home to attend the Brit School in London, where she studied alongside future pop stars Amy Winehouse, Adele and Jessie J. She initially considered a music career but moved into theatre before landing roles in Ashes to Ashes and eventually Emmerdale in 2019.
Nightingale has also spoken about suffering from imposter syndrome after joining the soap. 'It’s always that little voice in your head that goes, ‘Are you sure you can do this?’' she said in 2019. 'But I’ve got good people around me who told me I could do it.'
Off-screen, Nightingale lives with her long-term partner Darren and their four-year-old daughter Autumn. She met Darren over a decade ago through mutual friends and declared her feelings after 'too many glasses of wine'. The couple split their time between London and Manchester while Nightingale films Emmerdale in Leeds.
