Sue Cleaver, known for playing Eileen Grimshaw on Coronation Street since 2000, has been described as 'unrecognisable' by fans after a significant weight loss and lifestyle overhaul. The 59-year-old actress, who appeared on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2022, has opened up about her health journey, which included giving up alcohol and addressing a chronic condition.
Cleaver revealed that her transformation began after she stopped drinking alcohol, having consumed 'loads of wine' during the pandemic. She told The Sun: 'I went on HRT about a year and a half ago and realised I should have done that about five years ago. I was walking around in a bit of a fog and then I literally made some massive changes.' She now avoids pubs, describing them as 'hell'.
However, her journey has not been without difficulties. Early last year, Cleaver experienced a serious health scare that landed her in intensive care. She explained on Loose Women: 'I had a really bad year. I had a hysterectomy in March. Then a few weeks ago, I ended up in A&E... it was a scary scary time. I had surgery and ended up in intensive care.'
Cleaver was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2011 after collapsing on the Coronation Street set. She has since adopted a Mediterranean diet, dropping from a size 16 to a size 12 by 2019. Despite her weight loss, she has been vocal about not promoting weight-loss products, warning fans about a scam involving Keto gummies that falsely claimed her endorsement.
In an interview with Prima Magazine, Cleaver stated: 'I lost some weight in the jungle, but I'm not obsessing over diets: life is hard enough! That's why I'll never promote anything weight-related.' She added that her fifties have been the happiest decade of her life, and she is content with herself and her current situation.
