Cheryl Fergison, famous for her role as the karaoke-loving Heather Trott on BBC1's EastEnders from 2007 to 2012, has opened up about reaching such a low point financially that she found herself at a food bank.
Overwhelmed by the situation, she shared how a Citizens Advice worker took her there when it became clear she couldn't afford food, leading her to tearfully reflect on her former financial stability: "I sat there and cried and cried. It was shameful. How could I have been on EastEnders?
"How could I have been earning that much money and now I am here?" She recalled the struggle being incredibly tough, saying, "It was one of the hardest things I've had to do. I found it so difficult to be that vulnerable. But I didn't have any money to do a weekly shop. I was trying to pay too many debts."
Fergison continued, expressing that many can relate to her plight: "Lots of people can relate to it. You're trying to find a penny. You're literally looking down your settee to see if you can find a quid."
She recently made headlines in the Daily Mirror for selling her old EastEnders scripts for £50 each and performing songs in a Chinese restaurant in an attempt to get by. Despite a successful period on EastEnders, Cheryl's life took a turn for the worse after her womb cancer diagnosis in 2015, which halted her career.
Post-cancer treatment, she experienced an early menopause with severe physical and mental consequences, including a troubling obsession with hot water aimed at "washing" away cancer cells.
Reflecting on her past struggles, Cheryl admitted, "I was damaging myself so badly," She continued, "As soon as I got the all-clear I stopped doing it. If you're told you are ill, it's not just about the physical issue – somehow, you need to figure out what's going on in your head with it all".
However, by February, Cheryl, known for her headband-wearing character in Albert Square who met her end at the hands of Ben Mitchell, found herself without funds. "It was really a difficult time," Cheryl from Cleveleys, near Blackpool, shared, reports the Mirror.
In a brave move, she sought help from her local Citizens Advice branch. "If they did know who I was they didn't show it and that was what was wonderful," she expressed.
"I thought it was embarrassing."
Recalling her experience being taken to the food bank, Cheryl said: "That day is one I'll never forget – and I'll never forget the people. I felt I'd had this amazing, biggest, warmest hug. That's what it felt like."
"They were like angels. It was like a group of angels had come along and said, 'We can cope with this for you Cheryl, we can do this for you'," she recounted. But after leaving with four bags full of groceries, dog food, and even a bunch of daffodils, she vowed never to return.
Now, with a more positive outlook on life, Cheryl is excited to play the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella in Peterborough this Christmas, alongside her son Alex, 25, whom she shares with first husband Jamshed Saddiqi, as he joins the cast as Buttons.
Cheryl, who remarried Yassim al-Jemoni in 2011, has opened up about her financial struggles with the hope of helping others feel less shame in similar situations. She shared: "I hope other people can relate to it. I really want to stress that food banks are a service.
"They're there for you to use so please do not feel embarrassed or that it's a weakness. Whatever the reason, you deserve help. We have a right to be able to live like a human being and do it in a dignified way."
Cheryl also discussed the public's surprise at seeing her manage an average lifestyle: "If I am in Lidl people are always surprised to see me," she recounts. "They go, 'Why are you here? ' I go, 'Where do you think I'm going to be? ' I'm living a normal life in Cleveleys."
While Cheryl’s days on the set of a major soap have passed, she expressed gratitude towards colleagues like Steve McFadden, famous as Phil Mitchell: "He has always been a rock. He's one of my favourite people. He gets misunderstood because of the character he plays, but I adore him."
Additionally, Cheryl warmly remembers the late Dame Barbara Windsor for her support during tough times: "She was amazing. Barbara and her husband, Scott, were writing cheques out for me to keep a roof above my head when I couldn't work and I was poorly."
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Cheryl shared some poignant life wisdom given to her, saying: "She gave me probably one of the best bits of life advice ever. She said to me once, 'It doesn't matter what's going on within your four walls. When you go out there, you remember the public wants to talk to you.'"
She elaborated on how this advice had shaped her interactions: "She was saying, 'Be nice to people because they don't need to know what you're going through in your own personal life'."
Resolutely battling cancer, Cheryl found the strength to remain engaging with her fans, articulating her aspirations: "I'd like them to think that I was a nice person. I would like people to think that I am a survivor and that I'm positive."
Being fiercely independent, she insisted on earning her way: "And If I'm singing in the Chinese restaurant for a penny, at least I'm buying my own food to put on my table, because I don't want to go back to the food bank if I can help it. If I have something I can sell that people want – I'll do it."
The star also expressed hope for her television career, revealing future ambitions: "I would love to work in another soap."
And when it comes to reality TV shows, she fearlessly stated: "I would love to go on I'm A Celeb. Bring it on, bring it on."
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