British TV legend ditches showbiz after starring in iconic 90s BBC show
She starred in a hit BBC drama alongside future household names Andrew Lincoln and Jack Davenport, but these days, BAFTA-winning actress Daniela Nardini is a qualified and practising psychotherapist.
The Scottish actress originally played ambitious lawyer Anna Forbes in the BBC Two series This Life, which first aired in 1996.
Its story followed the fortunes of law graduates and housemates as they attempted to launch their careers in a London law firm.
Anna starred opposite future Walking Dead star Andrew Lincoln and Pirates of the Caribbean actor Jack Davenport, along with Amita Dhiri and Jason Hughes.
The show received a second series in 1997, followed by a sequel TV movie in 2007 titled This Life +10.
Daniela, 57, won great acclaim (and a Bafta!) for her role as Anna, but these days spends her time running her own CBT practice in Glasgow, Scotland.
Prior to scoring her breakthrough role in This Life, Daniela appeared in three episodes of Scottish crime drama Taggart.
She was on the verge of giving up acting when she was cast as Anna in This Life – a role for which she won the first of two BAFTAs.
'That character made such an impact. We hadn't really seen many young women like that portrayed on television. I don't think people of my generation have ever really let go of that,' she told the BBC in 2020.
The second BAFTA followed in 2009, for her performance in the BBC Four drama New Town.
She went on to appear in episodes of Vera, Waterloo Road, The Fades, and Bob Servant Independent, with her last credited acting role coming in 2019, with the short film Duck Daze.
Taking a break from acting, she went on to become a practising artist while studying for her future career as a mental health professional.
These days, Daniela's life is quite different – working as a qualified and practising psychotherapist at her own CBT practice.
At £50 a session, her top specialities include Depression, Anxiety and Behavioural Issues, as well as other issues, such as Cancer, Divorce and Addiction.
Her profile on Psychology Today begins: 'I have worked as an actress for over 35 years.
'This has been an invaluable education for me to study what it is to be human and how we can all suffer at times and feel misunderstood and lonely.
'I myself have struggled at times. My practice involves helping you gain insight, clarity and believe it or not humour at times. I don't shock easily so I won't judge.' https://www.instagram.com/p/CId-MFugiyx/
These struggles include the death of her father in 2015, followed by a divorce and her cancer diagnosis in 2018.
In 2020, she told The Daily Mail how she had endured 'the worst five years of her life,' adding: 'I went through a very dark period. Sometimes I wonder if it was all the emotional stuff I was going through that caused my cancer.'
'A couple of years down the road, I now feel as if I've emerged stronger and a better person, really. Anna would be proud.'
While Daniela decided to 'take a break' from acting, her co-stars from the show are keeping their hands in.
After starring as Jason Hughes, Warren Jones went on to star opposite John Nettles in Midsomer Murders for eight series before appearing in episodes of Death in Paradise and Marcella.
Following This Life, Jack starred in the cult sitcom Coupling before heading to Hollywood for roles in Pirates of the Caribbean and Kingsman: The Secret Service. More Trending
Amita Dhiri, meanwhile, recently appeared as housekeeper Mrs Khanna in the Netflix hit Bridgerton.
As This Life's most successful alumnus, Andrew went on to appear in the 2003 romcom Love Actually (contributing its most iconic scene) and as Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead.
Reflecting on his role in the Richard Curtis-directed romcom, Andrew said: 'I got to be this weird stalker guy.
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'My big scene in the doorway felt so easy. I just had to hold cards and be in love with Keira Knightley. And that was my own handwriting on the cards. Thank you for noticing.'
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