Imogen Bailey reveals 'Neighbours' fears

Imogen Bailey feared that she would not be accepted on Neighbours due to her old career as a bikini model, she has revealed.

The actress signed up to play Nicola West on the Aussie soap earlier this year. Producers offered her the part, which is her first high-profile acting role, after she became a household name with appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Survivor in Australia.

"There was a really small part of me that was worried about how I would be accepted in the show because of the modelling work," Bailey told the Daily Record.

"But I'm not some kind of party girl. I'm more of a nerd because I'm really focused on the work. And when I started in modelling, it was really by accident because I'm very petite at 5ft 2in and very shy, so I was really surprised to be asked.

"But I have loved being on Neighbours because the cast are really great and have given me such a warm welcome."

Bailey added that she has been working hard to improve her acting skills since she joined the programme.

She admitted: "I am such a nerd, because you'll see me in the green room making notes and reading all the scripts, even if I'm not in that scene, because I want to learn so much about it all."