Former EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison has provided a detailed health update eight months after experiencing a life-altering stroke, speaking candidly about her ongoing recovery journey during an appearance on BBC Breakfast.
Recovery Progress and Positive Mindset
The 60-year-old actress, best known for portraying Heather Trott on the long-running BBC soap opera, revealed she is "recovering slowly" but feels "a lot better" than in the immediate aftermath of her medical emergency in May 2025. Fergison described the stroke as having been "one of the lowest times in my life," leaving her initially unable to walk or communicate effectively.
"It's a long process, but my mind is positive now," Fergison told BBC Breakfast hosts Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty. "It wasn't in the beginning, but it is now. I'm happy to be here, to be quite honest."
Industry Stress and Health Warning
The actress suggested her stroke resulted from a "build up" of chronic stress accumulated during her years working in the acting profession. She highlighted how consistently high blood pressure and the unpredictable nature of entertainment industry work contributed to her health crisis.
"Our industry is renowned for being quite a stressful business – it's kind of feast and famine with us," Fergison explained. "If you're not worrying about your job and what to do and how to be top of your game, you're worrying about how to survive with money and things like that."
She urged her supporters and the general public to "start thinking" seriously about managing stress levels if they "want to live a healthy, long life," emphasising the importance of preventative health measures.
Symptoms and Immediate Response
Recalling the moments before her stroke, Fergison described experiencing a "terrible headache" before collapsing to the floor. Her son Alex, whose work with elderly people gave him medical awareness, recognised the stroke symptoms and ensured she received urgent hospital treatment in Blackpool.
"It literally changed my life from that day on," Fergison reflected. "I could speak but couldn't formulate many words in the hospital. My right side, which is still quite heavy, wasn't working at all. I couldn't walk."
Rehabilitation and Support Network
Over the subsequent months, Fergison has undergone intensive rehabilitation to "retrain" her brain to coordinate movements, regain balance, and rebuild walking capability. She credited her medical team and the Stroke Association with providing crucial support throughout her recovery.
"Slowly but surely, at my own pace and with the help of all my stroke team and with the Stroke Association, who have been brilliant, I'm here and making a full recovery," she stated.
Previous Health Challenges and Industry Support
Fergison's stroke followed earlier health struggles, including surgery for womb cancer in 2015. During that difficult period, the late Barbara Windsor – her EastEnders co-star who played Peggy Mitchell – generously covered Fergison's medical expenses and living costs.
"I just remember weeping, and you have people like this and people don't know the generosity of people and what they do, it's amazing," Fergison previously reflected. "I'm forever grateful."
The actress had faced financial difficulties before her stroke, performing in pantomimes and singing in Chinese restaurants to make ends meet. At one point, Citizens Advice helped her access a food bank after she struggled to afford basic groceries.
"It was shameful," she admitted about that period. "How could I have been earning that much and now I am here?"
Beyond her iconic EastEnders role from 2007 to 2012, Fergison's television credits include appearances in Little Britain, The IT Crowd, and two episodes of Doctor Who alongside Christopher Eccleston.
