Former Hollyoaks actress Steph Waring has courageously opened up about her harrowing battle with anorexia, revealing that medical professionals once told her she would die if she did not gain weight. The 47-year-old star, best known for playing Cindy Cunningham on the long-running Channel 4 soap, shared these deeply personal details in a recent YouTube video, shedding light on the severe realities of eating disorders.
A Lifelong Struggle Beginning in Childhood
Waring disclosed that her eating disorder began at the tender age of just 10 years old. She described becoming addicted to the validation she received when people commented on her weight loss, a dangerous cycle that fueled her condition. "I became addicted to the feeling that came when people asked me if I'd lost weight," she explained, highlighting how societal pressures can contribute to such disorders from a young age.
The Harsh Medical Warning at Age 15
By the time she was 15, Waring's health had deteriorated so severely that she weighed under four stone. She recalled the chilling moment a doctor delivered a stark prognosis: "I was told that I may as well get run over by a bus because I was going to die any day." This dire warning, meant to shock her into recovery, left her terrified but underscored the life-threatening nature of her condition.
Dangerous Behaviours and Physical Decline
Her obsession with weight loss manifested in extreme exercise routines, which she performed three times daily. This included forcing herself to run up and down a flight of stairs 100 times, demonstrating the compulsive and harmful behaviours associated with anorexia. Waring reflected on this period, stating, "I rapidly wasted away. I had no friends and I was a shadow of my former self. My personality was non-existent. This is what people don't see when they glamourise thinness."
Diagnosis and the Search for Validation
When a doctor finally confirmed she had anorexia, Waring experienced a paradoxical sense of relief. "I did think finally a label. I thought you know, it was finally acknowledged that something was wrong with me," she said. This diagnosis, while daunting, provided a framework for understanding her struggles and seeking help.
Recovery and Recent Health Decisions
The actress, who describes herself as a "chubby child" often called "fat" by peers, said she cured her disordered relationship with eating six years ago. She now uses her platform to promote body positivity, posting affirmation videos on Instagram. In a separate health move, Waring recently had her breast implants removed after 14 years, citing "debilitating" menopause symptoms that began when she entered peri menopause at 43 and full menopause at 45.
A Step Towards Healing and Self-Care
In an Instagram post, Waring explained her decision: "I've gone through an array of debilitating symptoms and I just feel like I need to have a fighting chance of feeling like me again." She emphasised that this was a personal choice, not a recommendation for others, stating, "I'm not here to tell anyone what they should do with their body. I'm simply sharing what felt right for me." The mother of two daughters, Mia, 19, and Lexi, 15, is now focused on resting and healing, viewing the explant surgery as a step towards simplifying her body's burdens and starting a fresh chapter.
