Skins icon Mike Bailey shot to fame as a teenager in the late 2007s with his role as Sid in the smash-hit Channel 4 drama. But almost two decades later, the former actor looks completely unrecognisable – trading his signature floppy brunette locks for short, platinum blonde highlights.
Mike, now 38, appeared on an episode of the NSN Podcast in March, where he opened up about walking away from the entertainment industry in pursuit of a career in teaching.
“I love it, it’s the best job I’ve ever had,” said Mike, who now works as a drama teacher. “It’s one of those things, you know those cliché things, I go into work each day and it’s completely different. It literally is.”
Fans were quick to share their thoughts on Mike’s appearance. One person wrote in the comments section: “So odd seeing him with blonde hair and not swoopy brown bangs, a beanie and glasses lol,” while another added: “Can’t tell if I can’t recognise him because it’s been nearly 20 years, or because he doesn’t have his hat on.”
© WireImageA third person wrote: “He’s changed so much.”
Mike Bailey’s life after Skins fame
While many of Mike’s co-stars, including Nicholas Hoult, Kaya Scodelario, Dev Patel and Daniel Kaluuya, carved out successful careers in the industry, the former actor decided to take his life in a different direction.
In a 2017 interview with RadioTimes.com, Mike said: “I kind of thought ‘what the [expletive] am I doing with my life?’ and ended up getting in a conversation with the wife a couple of years ago and decided that those who can’t act teach.”
© NSN Podcast/YoutubeAfter studying theatre and drama at university, Mike became a drama teacher.
Sharing an insight into his teaching approach during his appearance on NSN, Mike said: “My theory is, as long as you look at your students as colleagues rather than like there’s an element of power, it’s a lot more beneficial. There’s a level of respect.”
Why did Mike Bailey quit acting?
During his appearance on the NSN Podcast, Mike revealed that he made the decision to stop auditioning for acting parts while studying at university. “When I was at university I decided that I wasn’t going to audition anymore. I didn’t really want to,” he said.
© Mike Marsland/WireImageThe former actor also revealed that his acting career “fizzled out” when he tried to juggle auditions with his day job. “I think part and parcel for me, because we’re living in London at this point, I was working, and essentially you can’t juggle the two things,” he shared. “Because they need you to be able to just at the drop of a hat, go off and audition. I’m like, ‘Well, I have a job now.’
“Living in London is not cheap,” he continued. “It kind of just fizzled from there, which is fine. These things happen.”
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