Things are finally looking up for former EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison. The actress, who is best known for playing Heather Trott on the BBC One soap, has revealed she has landed a new role in an upcoming film project after openly discussing the personal and financial struggles she faced in recent years.

Cheryl shared the news with fans on Instagram, announcing she had been cast in a new film called Tits Up. The role marks another step forward for the actress, who has continued working across TV and theatre since leaving Albert Square more than a decade ago.

Posting about the opportunity, Cheryl wrote: “This old nag isn’t ready to be put out to graze just yet! Too many projects, events and wonderful turns in life to follow.” She added: “Thanks to Broke & Knackered Films and their company I have been offered my first bit of filming in the summer in the brilliant new film Tits Up, a fantastic, brilliant topic, amazing cast of

The announcement quickly attracted messages of support from fans and former co-stars alike. Fellow EastEnders actors Diane Parish, Emma Barton and John Partridge were among those celebrating the news, with Diane writing: “Go get it. Congrats darling. Sounds amazing.” The project is expected to begin filming in August.

While many viewers still associate Cheryl with Heather Trott, she has remained active in the entertainment industry since her EastEntalented peeps and a beautifully written piece. Thank you everyone for your faith, belief and support when things were challenging for me personally, physically, mentally and financially.

ders exit in 2012, when Heather was killed off in dramatic scenes by Ben Mitchell.

In the years that have followed, Cheryl appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, competed on Your Face Sounds Familiar and joined the cast of Big School. She has also made appearances on Loose Women and portrayed a fictionalised version of herself in Catherine Tate’s Netflix mockumentary Hard Cell.

Away from TV, Cheryl has continued to pursue her love of performing. She has regularly shared singing videos online and has appeared at live events, including Mullingar Pride in July 2022. The actress also published her autobiography, Cheryl Fergison: Behind the Scenes, giving readers a closer look at her career and personal life.

The stage has remained another important part of her career. Cheryl previously appeared in a production of Maggie May at Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre and is now preparing for a festive pantomine run at the Empire Theatre in Consett, County Durham.

From November through to the end of December, she will star as Mrs Polly Potts in Beauty and the Beast. In a special family connection, her son Alex Saddiqi will also appear in the production as Coggie Clocksworth. The pair previously shared the stage in a production of Cinderella in 2024.

The latest career milestone comes after Cheryl spoke candidly about the challenges she faced following her departure from EastEnders. She notably revealed she had experienced significant financial difficulties and had turned to food banks for support while struggling to manage debts and costs.

Speaking about that period to The Sunday Mirror, Cheryl admitted that asking for help was one of the hardest things she had ever done, but said the kindness she received left a lasting impact.

“It was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do,” she said. “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.” Cheryl added: “I thought it was embarrassing. 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.”

Her difficulties followed a major health battle. In 2015, Cheryl was diagnosed with stage II womb cancer, forcing her to step away from acting work while undergoing treatment. She later opted for a hysterectomy and has spoken openly about the emotional toll the diagnosis took on her life as she admitted to dousing herself in scalding water in a bid to “wash away” cancer cells. “I was damaging myself so badly. As soon as I got the all-clear, I stopped doing it,” Cheryl said.

Cheryl also gradually rebuilt her career, returning to acting and performing once she was out of the woods. Now, with a new film role on the horizon, a busy theatre schedule and continued support from fans and former co-stars, Cheryl appears to be entering a much brighter chapter.