Eastenders’ Jacqueline Jossa defends controversial ‘self harm’ comment

Jacqueline Jossa has defended herself after a comment made at the British Soap Awards landed her in hot water with fans.

Hollyoaks picked up the award for Best Storyline at the awards ceremony and Jacqueline was pictured chatting to co-star Lacey Turner as the news was announced. Jacqueline maintains that Lacey, who viewers will recognise as Stacey, asked her what storyline Hollyoaks had won for and she replied: "I'm not actually sure, I think they all self-harmed on the show". Fans took to Twitter to criticise the comment and said it was a was a 'disgusting' thing to say while others described her as a 'sore loser'. Jacqueline says her comment was taken out of context and she took to Instagram Stories after the event to explain what had happened. The Eastenders actress wrote:

"Just to clear things up, Lacey asked me what the storyline was, as we couldn't hear, I answered with, 'I'm not actually sure I think they all self-harmed on the show".

She continued:

"I was literally answering what the storyline was. "I know that self-harm isn't a joke.  Obviously...and love any soap that tackles hard stories. It's been taken out of context".

Her statement as it appeared on social media reads:

"Just to clear things up, Lacey asked me what the storyline was, as we couldn’t hear. I answered with, I’m not actually sure, ‘I think they all self-harmed on that show’. I didn’t watch the show, I only went from the clip I saw previous, which involved three girls on a bed. "I haven’t watched the show recently so don’t actually know, but always love it and wasn’t discrediting. I was literally answering what the storyline was. ‘I know that self-harm isn’t a joke, obviously, and love any soap that tackles hard stories. It’s been taken out of context! Jake Wood’s story involved self-harm too. I wasn’t hating, I was answering a question. Sorry for offence!!"