Former EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison has opened up about her financial struggles as well as her recent health battles
Former EastEnders actress Cheryl Fergison has opened up on about the terrible misfortune she suffered when her accountant stole £500,000 from her. Cheryl, 60, was on the programme between 2007 and 2012, before briefly reappearing in 2016, as Heather Trott.
A decade on from her appearance on the show, she has been detailing her misfortune and admitted that dealing with an accountant was her worst business decision.
Speaking to The Times, she detailed how they claimed they had sent everything to HMRC, but had actually taken the cash. As a result, Cheryl lost between £400,000 and £500,000, that she had to payout. She also fell into financial difficulties which meant she had to sell her home.
She told the publication: “I found out I had been defrauded by an accountant who hadn’t filed or paid my taxes. They showed me false proof that they had sent everything to HMRC, but in reality they had taken the money.
“HMRC said it was still my responsibility to pay it and I lost between £400,000 and £500,000. I had this massive pay cheque and I put it in the bank, but had to take it out to pay the taxman. I’m still chasing my tail from it.”
Consequently, Cheryl has said she doesn’t think she will ever own a home again and instead has focused on renting.
She explained: “I’ve realised that renting is probably the way to go for me from now on….It’s memories that mean the most to me, and I’d rather spend money on experiences with my son and my friends than anything else.”
Cheryl’s candid admission about her financial affairs comes after she admitted that she had had another health scare in the form of a stroke in May 2025, something that left her unable to walk or talk.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast to give an update on her condition, she told hosts Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty: “I’m getting there and that’s the way that I keep saying it whenever [someone] says, ‘How are you? You look really well’. I go, ‘Yes, I’m a lot better than I was in May when it happened last year.
“I’m getting there slowly, I’m recovering slowly. It’s a long process but my mind is positive now. It wasn’t in the beginning but it is now. I’m happy to be here, to be quite honest.”
She added that, overall, 2025 was a very busy year as she wrote her autobiography, turned 60 and had the stroke, adding that the book highlights a lot of the stresses in her life.
She said: “It highlights a lot of the stresses that have been caused over the years, and I think it was a build up. My blood pressure was always high. Our industry is renowned for being quite a stressful business, it’s kind of feast and famine with us.”
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