Celebs Go Dating's Donna Preston has bravely pulled back the curtain on a private and gruelling health battle, revealing her diagnosis with the complex and often misunderstood condition fibromyalgia.
The actress, known for her sharp wit on the E4 dating show, confessed the chronic illness has been a 'massive, massive part' of her life, causing widespread pain and extreme fatigue that has severely impacted her career.
'I have fibromyalgia,' Donna disclosed. 'It's something I don't talk about often, but it's been a massive, massive part of my life for the last six or seven years.'
The Invisible Struggle Behind The Scenes
Preston described the reality of living with the condition, which is notoriously difficult to diagnose and manage. 'It's a chronic pain and fatigue illness,' she explained, highlighting the profound effect it has had on her professional opportunities.
'I've had to turn down so much work because of it,' she revealed, underscoring the hidden challenges many with invisible illnesses face in the entertainment industry. The relentless fatigue meant that a standard five-day work week was simply unmanageable, often requiring a full weekend of recovery just to function.
Filming Through The Pain
Her time on Celebs Go Dating was not immune to the condition's grip. Donna admitted there were days during filming where the fibromyalgia flare-ups were particularly severe. 'There were days on the show where I was really, really struggling,' she shared, offering fans a new perspective on her on-screen journey.
The star's candid confession helps shed light on a condition that affects an estimated 1 in 20 people in the UK to varying degrees. Her story is a powerful testament to navigating a demanding career while managing a debilitating and often invisible chronic illness.
