11 February 2024 , 09:22
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BBC Casualty star Elinor Lawless, who is married to an EastEnders actor, has two hidden health conditions that she's spoken about in the past.
The 31 year old actress joined the cast of the BBC drama in 2021 and has been involved in some major storylines since then. She was even nominated for Best Daytime Star at the 2022 Inside Soap Awards for her role as Stevie Nash. Fans might also recognise her from her previous roles in EastEnders and Doctors.
Elinor was born in Draperstown, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. She studied acting at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and won the Peter Akerman Award for Best Comedy Actress. But what about her life off-screen? Let's take a look at Elinor's marriage to a well-known soap star, the two serious health conditions she has battled, and her son's health struggle after being born prematurely.
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The 31 year old actress joined the cast of the BBC drama in 2021 and has been involved in some major storylines sinceWhen she was just three, Elinor was diagnosed with two heart conditions. Doctors found that she had a hole in her heart and anomalous pulmonary venous connection, where blood flows to the organ in the wrong direction.
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She spent much of her childhood in hospital and underwent open-heart surgery at the age of seven at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. Thankfully, she was given a clean bill of health at the age of 21 after many check-ups.
Elinor previously shared her hospital experiences, saying: "I was in and out of hospital loads as a kid so I'm au fait with things like cannulas. I remember that time vividly and you remember the level of care." She added, according to Birmingham Live: "I remember being in the ambulance on the way to surgery and the amazing nurses - Hazel and Ann were my go-to nurses - and the fantastic Dr Craig and Dr Gladstone. Even at that age I was aware I was in good hands."
"I'm all fixed now. I was checked every year until 21 and they fixed me good. That's why shows like Casualty are so important. These people get to see us at our most vulnerable," she went on. Elinor is married to actor Peter Basham, and they have a son, Joe, born in 2016.
Peter himself appeared in EastEnders in 2019 as PC Anthony Rogers (TEDx Talks / YouTube)Peter himself appeared in EastEnders in 2019 as PC Anthony Rogers. He's also had small roles in the James Bond movie Skyfall and detective series Sherlock. He worked with Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy in the hit movie Inception, playing Jet Captain to Cillian's lead character Robert Fischer. Their son Joe was born prematurely and weighed only 2.2 kilograms. He spent 10 days in a specialist baby unit.
Elinor praised the NHS for taking great care of her and her son, saying: "My little boy was in hospital for ten days and I saw how accomplished and adept the staff are. They looked after my little boy like a nest egg."
She added: "I have a huge amount of respect for the NHS and it's an honour to get to create these amazing characters and tell these amazing stories. And for the last couple of years the NHS has been a tour de force. I feel so privileged to be part of a show that shines a light on that."