THIS actor burst onto the scene in the late noughties as a fresh-faced teen with glasses and a beanie hat in E4’s Skins.
Fast-forward nearly 20 years since the , and the retired TV star, now 37, looks unrecognisable as he talked about life after the show – but can you guess who it is?
Fans went wild over this unrecognisable Skins starCredit: YouTube/NSN Podcast
Can you guess who this star used to play in Skins?Credit: YouTube/NSN Podcast
The star in question chatted to the NSN podcast about quitting actingCredit: YouTube/NSN Podcast
Did you guess it was Mike Bailey who played Sid Jenkins on Skins?Credit: Channel 4
The actor in question is Mike Bailey, who shot to fame in playing Sid Jenkins.
The star was in the hit show from the first ever series in 2007, and also starred in the second season the following year.
followed the highs and lows of teens in college trying to navigate their way through life.
It became a huge fan-favourite and had seven successful series with some iconic characters and storylines to boot.
On the show, Mike’s character Sid was known as the nice awkward guy come sidekick to best mate Tony Stonem, played by now-movie star Nicholas Hoult .
He also starred alongside Dev Patel in Skins, who has also gone on to be a huge star.
After his stint on Skins, Mike continued to act and starred in a handful of shows, including We Are Freaks and 1066 The Battle for Middle Earth.
However, Mike quit acting in 2017, and has since shunned the spotlight.
Despite his retirement, the Sid actor this week reemerged into the limelight when he chatted to the NSN podcast about his decision to leave showbusiness.
Fans watching the interview were taken aback at how completely unrecognisable he was.
Mike revealed he now teaches drama instead of acting himselfCredit: YouTube/NSN Podcast
Sid was a popular character on Skins, which was about teenagers running wildCredit: Alamy
Mike starred in the first two series of Skins alongside actors who are huge movie stars now, like Nicholas Hoult and Dev PatelCredit: Getty – Contributor
He has replaced his mop of brown hair with a short bleached blonde hairdo.
And gone are his thick-rimmed glasses, that his character Sid was well known for.
Taking to to discuss his unrecognisable new look, one fan wrote: “Whoa the short, light hair makes SUCH a huge difference, I never would have guessed this was Sid! He looks like he’s been doing great.”
Another added: “I didn’t recognize his name and I was staring at him wondering who he played!”
This Skins fan said: “Even with dark hair I don’t think I would have guessed that was Sid!”
A fourth commented: “I honestly can’t see Sid there at all, crazy.”
Speaking about his decision to quit acting and to stop going out on auditions, he told the NSN podcast: “It took me a while to kind of realise just because you’ve done something doesn’t mean that you necessarily have to carry on with that for the rest of your life.
“I was very fortunate. I was very lucky. Um I did some other stuff afterwards, not as well known stuff, was absolutely fine.”
Continuing, Mike said: “I then went to university a lot later kind of after it (Skins)… then I started to say no to stuff and it was at university I kind of decided that while I was at university I wasn’t going to audition anymore.
“I think you do have to make that choice and I think some people find it harder, some people find it easier.
“It’s hard when you might see people that you know who haven’t made that choice (to leave acting). I’m kind of thinking ‘when are you going to decide?’
“There’s loads of other things you can do. It’s a great thing to kind of say that you’ve done it.”
Although he has ditched the spotlight himself, Mike, who is also a father, is now helping other kids to get into acting by working as a drama teacher in his native .
Speaking about changing his career up, the star said: “I love it. It’s the best job I’ve ever had.”
Skins was a huge hit when it hit our TV screens in 2007Credit: Alamy
“Yeah, it is the best job I’ve ever had. I love it. I get to go. It’s one of those things, you know, these cliché things. I go into work each day and it’s completely different.
“It literally is like going to just have the most horribly horrible day and you can go into a day and think, right, okay, I’ve got this today and you can come away from it feeling like you’ve just had the greatest day.”
Fellow Skins co-star previously behind-the-scenes for its teenage cast.
The actress was just 15-years-old when she landed the part of Effy, who was the sister of Tony.
But speaking about her time on Skins to on the Dish podcast, she said: “Back then there wasn’t the same amount of safeguarding with young actors.”
Recalling how radio presenter Nick once interviewed her as a teen, she added: “He interviewed me when I was about 15, I was underage at a festival, and I was really drunk.
“There wasn’t anyone checking in if we were OK… Nick is to me such a memory of my early career – he was like a safe place, kind and gentle.”
Kaya continued: “I vet everyone first [when I go onto a new set].
“I just make sure they’re not an a***hole. I have a genuine no a***hole policy and I will not give my time to people that think they can behave like that any more.
“I’ve met so many incredible actors and directors that don’t behave like that, that are kind, good people and also produce good work, so there’s no excuse for it.
“There used to be, when I started out, it was like, ‘Oh, it’s, you know, it’s Jack the Lad behaviour’ or ‘it’s because he’s intense’, and no.
“Be a nice person, be respectful, be kind, because I’m too long in the tooth, I can’t be a****. I don’t want to be around bad energy.
“And I’m too aggressive, I’ll kick off, which is not good. It’s not good. It’s very nineties to be an arsehole.”
Skins was created by father and son duo Jamie Brittain and Bryan Elsley, and ran from 2007 to 2013.
Actress Kaya Scodelario previously hit out at Skins’ ‘duty of care’Credit: Handout
Mike’s Skins co-star Nicholas is now a big name in HollywoodCredit: Getty
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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