Adele Silva: 'I never tried to crack US'

Adele Silva has hit back at claims that she failed to "crack America" after moving there in 2009.

Last year, it was reported that the Emmerdale actress was working as a shop assistant and had set up a dog-walking business. However, speaking to OK magazine Silva insisted that she had never moved to the US to pursue her acting career.

"I've worked as an actress since I was 8 years old and I basically just wanted some time out, so I decided to go travelling," she said. "I went to New York for six months and then headed to LA because I had some friends out there.

"I got a Saturday job while I was in LA because I thought it would be a good way to meet new people - I couldn't do that in this country! I actually really enjoyed it so I don't understand what the big problem was. Surely it just shows that I'm a normal, down-to-earth girl?"

She added: "According to the papers I had failed in America and took up that job to make ends meet. But that wasn't the case at all."

Last November it was announced that Silva is reprising her role as Kelly Windsor in the Yorkshire soap.