Kelle Bryan has revealed she was diagnosed with dyslexia after detailing her struggles with school during childhood.
The actress, 47, discussed her diagnosis on Wednesday’s Loose Women, saying she was inspired to get tested for dyslexia by fellow panellist Penny Lancaster, who is also dyslexic.
Kelle said: ‘It was Penny that inspired me [to get the test]. I thought, “I’m going to stop putting this off.” My son was diagnosed… I felt like I was [dyslexic]. I got my diagnosis and I am dyslexic.’
Candid: Kelle Bryan has revealed she was diagnosed with dyslexia after detailing her struggles with school during childhood
She added: ‘It’s frustrating that I had such a difficult time as a child. I was almost labelled… by family members, “Oh, she’s the thick one”. By teachers, the term that was used was “dunce” – She’s stupid. She’s thick, she’s never going to make it in life.’
‘If they’d known I was dyslexic, the support could have been put in place. It was so hard – one being the only black child, but being the only black child to not keep up.
‘It’s a difficult thing. As a child, it changes your whole academic life… the whole experience would have been different [had I been diagnosed].’
Penny was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 46, saying: ‘During my school period, I was always labelled as “Penny gets easily distracted, she can’t focus…”‘
Pals: The actress, 47, discussed her diagnosis on Wednesday’s Loose Women, saying she was inspired to get tested for dyslexia by fellow panellist Penny Lancaster, who is also dyslexic
She added: ‘Now I’ve been diagnosed, I recognise that’s why I’m great at doing this and that. Instead of relying on the written word, you might not be able to read that word very well, but you can read the room and you can read people.
‘Instead of listening to the word, you’re listening to how they say the word and what they mean by that word. It’s looking outside of the box, the bigger picture and that’s a great skill set to have.’
It comes after Kelle announced her departure from Hollyoaks after four years playing Martine Deveraux.
The former Eternal singer broke the shock news on Friday’s Loose Women, with her final scene set to air on the soap that evening.
Kelle said: ‘It’s frustrating that I had such a difficult time as a child. I was almost labelled… by family members, “Oh, she’s the thick one”‘
Telling her fellow Loose Women Jane Moore, Sunetra Sarker and Kaye Adams, Kelle said: ‘This is a secret I’ve been keeping for so long, so actually saying it out loud feels really weird.
‘Tonight on Hollyoaks will be my very last scene. I’m departing the show after four years of playing the same character. I’m off!
‘Tonight the Hollyoaks fans will be able to see what happens to Martine and all of the dynamics between myself and Richard Blackwood, who plays my husband.
‘I used to carry a bit in there just to have that sense of discomfort. So taking that out, changing the hair… she’s been part of me for such a long time, it’s going to be odd putting her down.’
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12:30pm on ITV.
Role: It comes after Kelle announced her departure from Hollyoaks after four years playing Martine Deveraux
