NATALIE Anderson says she has never forgotten her Bradford roots as she builds up her lifestyle business which continues to thrive with a successful podcast.

The former Emmerdale actress, who played Alicia Metcalfe in the soap between 2010 and 2015, has swapped the small screen for an online business.

She has set up The Capsule, an online community for women to share their thoughts and recommendations on fashion, beauty and lifestyle.

The accompanying podcast she presents sees Natalie tackle a host of subjects on wellbeing, positive mental health and self care.

Natalie says she has been even more grateful to have the podcast during the pandemic as she has an avenue to communicate with women online.

She said: "We were looking to do more live stuff, we were looking to do a tour, before the pandemic.

"I'm so grateful I had the podcast to fall back on. So many of my friends who are actors have really struggled this year. I'm incredibly grateful to have it.

"To have a medium to showcase things has been amazing.

"Originally, before lockdown, I was doing my podcast from a studio. Then I was doing it from home on Zoom and the WiFi was going in and out.

"Everyone's going through it. With the subjects that we cover it is just getting it out there and verbalising it. One of the podcasts I did was with a good friend of mine who is going through bowel cancer. People get informed about different subjects.

"I see myself as a guinea pig on the podcast. I am getting questions answered. I am a vehicle to share the story.

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"I needed to do something where I can work around my son. I am a mum, top of everything. The business feeds my passions with different areas like fashion and wellbeing."

Natalie, 39, says she wanted to set up The Capsule to show her son Freddie, eight, how 'ballsy' women can be.

She said: "I have always had an interest in business. I started a business in my early 20s. I was working with the Bradford Bulls. I had my own record label when I was 26.

"The business side of things has never really gone away from me.

"I wanted to show my son how ballsy women can be. I like him to see that I am busy at work and I make things happen. I want to show him that women can have it all. We are trying to change the landscape, we want to be good mums too.

"We are doing a different role to women 20 years ago."

Natalie, who started acting as a child at Bradford Playhouse, says she has not really experienced online trolls on social media during her own career and The Capsule online community is one where those involved help and support each other, adding there is never any negativity and it is about empowering each other.

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The former Woodside Middle School student, who was born at St Luke's Hospital, says her business education was born during her time at the Bradford Bulls, where she started out as a team cheerleader.

She added: "I am just a Yorkshire girl through and through.

"I'm from Bradford. We stand up for each other. I am really proud of it. I will always be a scrappy Bradford girl.

When I was growing up in Bradford in the 1980s it was tough. You have a fighting spirit. People don't take themselves too seriously in Bradford

"I have so many fond memories of my time at the Bulls. That time taught me a lot about business. I went from dancing, selling programmes to other roles like assistant hospitality manager. I have so many amazing memories of Odsal from those days.

"I still have a lot of family that live in Bradford. It is a special place. I've not been able to go across to Bradford much during the last few months."

Natalie has also produced a Christmas Jumper, with £5 from every sale going to Mission Christmas. Go to thecapsule.co.uk/the-capsule-collection for more information.