What happened to Cheryl Fergison? EastEnders star gets candid about “one of the lowest times” of her life caused by a recent stroke

English actress Cheryl Fergison, known for her role in EastEnders, shared how a recent stroke affected her physical abilities.

In an exclusive interview with The Mirror, published on August 23, Fergison said that her health struggle with a stroke in May 2025 almost exhausted all her savings. She said:

“I would say it was probably one of the lowest times in my life. One of the hardest things is to process what it does to you. One minute you're walking, talking, going to the shops; the next your world is rocked. It's shocking.”

Fergison told the outlet that the symptoms started with a terrible headache. She lay on her bed but felt uncomfortable. When she woke up to use the washroom, she couldn’t hold herself still and somehow managed to find balance. At the time, she realized that the right portion of her body went numb.

Cheryl Fergison then reached out to her son, who called an ambulance, and she was taken to the hospital. Mentions how the stroke affected her, she said:

“I have had to retrain my brain. I couldn’t even pick up a penny at first. You lose the ability to coordinate your hands, to walk properly, your balance is gone. It’s frustrating and makes you angry. But I’ve started to recover; I am coming on in leaps and bounds now.”

Even though she has recovered a lot, Fergison now requires physiotherapy. However, she shared that money and objects were not important because they could easily be lost, but memories with loved ones and moments of laughter were what truly mattered. She said that starting the new decade gave her a chance to focus on a fresh version of herself, and she was not yet ready to slow down or be forgotten.

Cheryl Fergison on early struggles and dealing with the 2015 health issue

Speaking about maintaining a public image, Cheryl Fergison said one needed to put on a brave face even under constant pressure. She said there were times when she paid expensive restaurant bills even though her financial condition was not well. She said:

“Just because I am off the telly, doesn’t mean that I haven’t gone through some very hard times. I don’t let it get me down though.”

Looking back on the days she struggled with life, the actress shared that in 2018, she sat on the same bench in Dartford where she had once sat while being homeless. This time, Cheryl Fergison was there because she was performing in a successful musical at a nearby theatre. She felt amazed at how far she had come and thought it was strange how life sometimes went full circle.

According to The Independent, Cheryl Fergison also underwent womb surgery a decade ago. In 2024, when she appeared on Loose Women, she shared that the experience was a lot for her:

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“Also, in our profession, it’s difficult because if you’re not working, then you’re not earning any money. You have to keep working.”

Fergison said that due to her prompt attention to what her body was going through, she was able to save herself.

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