Celebrity MasterChef contestant Sue Cleaver has previously opened up about a terrifying health ordeal that saw her rushed to A&E and treated in intensive care. The Coronation Street actress, best known for playing Eileen Grimshaw, is currently swapping the cobbles for the kitchen as she competes on the BBC cooking show.
Fans watching Sue take on the culinary challenge may not know that she has faced difficult times away from the cameras. In 2023, the actress revealed she had been through an incredibly tough year after undergoing a hysterectomy in March before later becoming seriously unwell and ending up in A&E.
A 'scary, scary time'
Speaking during an appearance on Loose Women, Sue was keen to shut down speculation that her changing appearance was simply down to dieting. Instead, she revealed she had been dealing with a serious health problem.
“I had a really bad year. I had a hysterectomy in March then a few weeks ago, I ended up in A&E,” she said. Sue admitted she had been through a “scary, scary time” and confirmed that she had required intensive care treatment. She said she did not want to go into the specifics, but stressed that her weight loss had not been down to dieting, describing the period as frightening and involving surgery and a spell in intensive care.
Weight-loss speculation and a sepsis scare
At the time, Sue had also found herself at the centre of unwanted attention over her weight loss, with photographs of the actress reportedly being used to promote weight-loss products. However, she made it clear that her slimmer appearance had not come from following a particular diet. Despite the seriousness of what she had gone through, Sue managed to see the funny side of the situation. “I’ve been seriously, seriously ill, but I look amazing!” she joked.
It was not the first time Sue had faced a major health scare. Several years earlier, in 2019, she developed sepsis after suffering from a kidney infection. The actress became extremely unwell and initially thought she could be suffering from flu before her condition deteriorated. She was eventually taken to hospital and diagnosed with sepsis, which can become life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Continuing to work
Sue has since spoken about just how serious the ordeal was and the importance of getting medical help when she became so ill. Despite her health battles, Sue has continued to work and remains one of the UK's best-known soap stars. Celebrity MasterChef is available to stream on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
