In 2010, Stephanie Davis seemed to have the world at her feet. After wowing the nation with her vocal skills on the BBC talent show Over the Rainbow, she landed a starring role in the hugely popular Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks. A few short years later, and the story couldn’t have been more different. After being booted from Hollyoaks for turning up to work drunk, she took to reality TV, a sidestep that would end disastrously with a hugely public, hugely toxic relationship with Irish model, Jeremy McConnell. After a child, battery allegations, a court case, and a stint in jail (for McConnell, at least), the relationship ended; since then, Davis has returned to Hollyoaks, been on the receiving end of an autism diagnosis, and restored her hairline with a hair transplant. All that, and she’s still only 26 years old. For more about the actress, read on.
1. She was a child actress
Davis has been in the industry since she was a child. The now 26-year-old actress landed her first role, Gretl von Trapp in the Liverpool Empire Theatre’s production of The Sound of Music, when she was just 8 years old. Clearly enamored with the stage, she continued to audition; two years later, she won the title role in the theatre’s production of Annie. From there, she began to appear in minor roles in the likes of Holby City, Doctors, and Parents of the Band.
2. She came to fame on Over the Rainbow
In 2010, Davis achieved national recognition when she auditioned for Over the Rainbow, a televised talent show from the BBC that tried out numerous actresses for the part of Dorothy Gale in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production of The Wizard of Oz. The then 17-year-old Davis win positive praise from the judging panel (Charlotte Church complimented her with the comment “You are so self-confident, and you have every right to be because that was unbelievable — an absolutely brilliant performance,” while West End star John Partridge added “Miss Mama Do! You are bright as a button”) but was eventually eliminated during the 5th week.
3. She was involved in some of Hollyoaks’ biggest storylines
Although her journey on Over the Rainbow ended prematurely, it did at least win the attention of casting directors. Shortly after leaving the talent contest, it was announced that Davis has been cast as Sinead O’Connor in the popular soap opera, Hollyoaks. During her time on the show, Davis was involved in some of its biggest story arcs, including a hard-hitting bullying plot, a prostitution storyline, and the death of her baby daughter.
4. She was axed from Hollyoaks for being drunk on set
After spending 5 years at the center of some of Hollyoaks’ hardest-hitting storylines, Davis was unceremoniously fired from the show in July 2015. Although producers initially refused to go into any more detail than confirming her contract has been terminated with immediate effect, it later emerged she’d been dropped after repeatedly turning up on set “unfit for work”. “Stephanie’s contract was terminated following warnings for lateness, attendance and after a final incident in which she turned up to set unfit to work because of alcohol consumption,” the actresses agent, Jonathan Arun, confirmed in a statement.
5. She made her return to Hollyoaks in 2018
Three years after being unceremoniously dropped from the show that made her name, Davis made her return to Hollyoaks in 2018. “I’m over the moon to be given this amazing opportunity and so excited to bring feisty Sinead back to Hollyoaks,” she told the Mirror about her return. “I can’t wait to see all the cast and crew there, many that I have known for years. “I just want to get stuck into learning the first scripts. I can’t wait to be on set and back acting again, which is my passion.”
6. She quit I’m a Celebrity over a nut allergy
In 2015, Davis was cited as one of that year’s line up on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. Just one day before she was due to fly out to the jungle, Davis was given the news that she couldn’t take part in the show as her fatal nut allergy meant her life could be in danger if she did. Davis took the news well, taking to Twitter to post “Sure I would have had you all laughing your socks off. Don’t worry though, there is amazing stuff coming up for me so keep your eyes peeled! “Good luck to my fellow campmates this year!! I’ll be watching guys! Big love, Stephanie xx”
7. She sparked controversy on Big Brother
In January 2016, Davis signed up to appear in the seventeenth series of Celebrity Big Brother. Although she fared well when it came to viewer votes, eventually leaving runner up, her time on the reality TV show was controversial. Despite having a boyfriend, Sam Reece, on the outside, Davis sparked up an intimate relationship with fellow contestant Jeremy McConnell, leading many to criticize her decision to embark on such a public affair. During the after-show interview with presenter Emma Willis, Davis admitted her relationship with Reece wasn’t perfect, and she was willing to see how things went with McConnell on the outside.
8. She has a child with Jeremy McConnell
In January 2017, Davis gave birth to a son with Jeremy McConnell, a baby boy called Caben Albi. By the time of the birth, the couple had already split, after their very public, very toxic relationship finally came to an end when the Irish model was found guilty of battering Davis in a drug-fueled rage.
9. She’s had a hair transplant
Davis has admitted that as a child, she was often bullied and taunted for her high hairline, a problem that’s become more exaggerated as a result of the hair loss she’s suffered in recent years. In November 2019, the actress decided to take action by booking herself into the British Hair Clinic for a hair transplant. In a weird coincidence, her ex Jeremy McConnell has recently taken a job as a director of a hair transplant clinic in Turkey… although Davis was quick to take a jab in his direction with her comment to the Mirror “A couple of my friends went abroad for surgery and didn’t get the results they wanted nor the aftercare so I am so grateful I could find a suitable clinic in the UK”.
10. She’s been diagnosed with high functioning autism
In November 2019, Davis opened up about her recent autism diagnosis. On an emotional video upload to YouTube, she spoke candidly about both her condition and her struggles with social anxiety. She also described the coping mechanisms she developed as a result, and how she would self-medicate with alcohol. “I would have to drink a bottle of wine before I went out. I do believe I’ve self-medicated now a lot because of the anxiety” she shared. “I would sweat and would be feeling sick and I would have a tantrum like a three-year-old. I would throw myself on the bed, crying my eyes out, then I would try and get myself ready and would drink a bottle of wine to try and calm my nerves.”
Follow Us
