Former EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison is selling her old scripts and bookings to a Chinese restaurant to help pay for her bills amid the cost of living crisis.
The much-loved actress, 59, played Heather Trott on the BBC soap for five years between 2007 and 2012. The fan-favourite was killed off when Ben Mitchell (then Joshua Pascoe) hit her over the head with a photo frame.
Since then, she’s appeared in Celebrity Big Brother and Catherine Tate mockumentary Hard Cell.
More recently she spoke out to say that ITV should’ve offered her Alison Hammond’s presenting role on For The Love of Dogs, which was previously fronted by Paul O’Grady.
Off the back of a one woman show, which played to audiences across the country, she’s now taken to selling old soap memorabilia on Instagram.
She noted that this is in response to fake items being sold online – whereas her scripts and autographs are authentic.
‘I was told some years ago that after a period of time, this was okay to do’ she explained.
‘I have donated scripts to various charities over the years in much the same way, by giving them to auctions to raise money for their charities
‘There is unofficial merchandise being sold either online or in various places, I wanted to give true fans a chance to have something of my era at EastEnders.’
Cheryl is also flogging tickets to ‘Cheryl’s Special £15 Weekend’, which is a three course Chinese meal whilst she sings for two hours.
The event will take place at Great Fortune House in Thornton Cleveleys this weekend, with one fan jumping into her social media comments section to support her.
‘We’re coming, can’t wait! How do we book?’ they wrote.
She replied: ‘just turn up we will make you welcome .. what night are you thinking ?’
Continuing in her chat to OK! Magazine, Cheryl added: ‘I think that people need to get their heads around the fact we have to earn a living, we are not always fortunate to be filming all the time and working in our chosen and trained profession.’
‘I do not see that anything is wrong with what I am doing when I have been told this is something I can do.’
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She also added that she would be paying taxes on anything she sells.
‘I do not want to get into trouble in any way and maybe £50 to some people is not a lot of money, but when it can help to pay an ever-increasing bill or help put a roof over your head and food on the table, just like any other person earning a living, I will continue to buy and sell – and pay tax on it’ she said.
This article was originally published on 4th November 2024.
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