Maxine Peake reveals a RADA teacher told her to 'lay off the chips' or she would 'never play Juliet'

Maxine Peake, 52, has spoken out about the brutal treatment she endured at RADA, where she had already faced 13 rejections from other drama schools before winning the Patricia Rothermere Scholarship aged 21. The Silk and Shameless star delivered a sharp comeback to the teacher who shamed her, saying: 'I don't want to play Juliet — she kills herself at 16 because of a boy.'

Peake was 15 stone when she landed her TV break in 1998 as Twinkle in the BBC sitcom 'Dinnerladies'.

Victoria Wood then warned her: 'You're fat, you're blonde and you're northern — you'll get typecast.'

Peake lost five stone in nine months but had to wear a fat suit in 'Dinnerladies' series two because she had slimmed down so dramatically.