Emily Atack announces social media break to focus on ‘real life’

The actor has had a busy 2023 after releasing her BBC documentary as well as featuring in Disney’s adaptation of ‘The Rivals’

Former Inbetweeners star Emily Atack has announced she’ll be taking a break from social media to focus on “real life”.

The 34-year-old actor and TV personality shared the news on her Instagram story on Tuesday (19 December) addressing her 1.9m followers.

She shared the news alongside a photo of herself wearing a birthday tiara: “Thanks for the birthday love yesterday everybody,” she wrote after celebrating her birthday the day before.

Atack added: "I’ve been quiet on here recently and focusing on actual real life, working hard and having some time away from social after a helluva year.

“But I’ll be back properly soon. Hope you are all living your best hungover lives and getting ready for the family rows and deflated wobbly blow up beds."

The actor has had a busy year after filming for the Disney+ series adaptation of The Rivals.

The eight-part series, which is based on a novel by Jilly Cooper - dives headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986. The show also features the likes of Doctor Who legend, David Tenant and The Crown star Oliver Chris.

Earlier this year, the star released her BBC documentary called ‘Emily Atack: Asking For It?’ (Getty Images)

Atack, who is no stranger to social media trolls, also released a BBC documentary earlier this year exploring the impact of online harassment from men.

In the programme, Emily Atack: Asking For It?, the star discusses her own experiences of sexual harassment and sets out to learn how something “so grotesque, aggressive, malicious and violent” has evolved.

She also shared a number of misogynistic social media messages she received, including rape threats, in an attempt to understand how abuse has been normalised online.

The show was praised by many viewers as well as media publications after its release.

“Emily Atack is so brave. I don’t know one woman who hasn’t been sexually harassed in some way, on or offline, and, despite the psychological damage it causes, such vile behaviour is totally normalised,” one viewer said on X/Twitter earlier this year.

“We need change in policy, in attitudes, and in accountability.”

The popular All On the Board Twitter account wrote on X: “We support all those who have received and continue to receive unsolicited explicit photos and are victims of sexual harassment and online abuse. So much more needs to be done to put a stop to it.

“Thank you Emily Atack for raising awareness.”

“We take SO many precautions; safe routes home, private social media, the ‘right’ clothes, don’t be too nice or too standoffish - but sexual harassment happens anyway because WE AREN’T THE PROBLEM,” another fan tweeted.