Corrie star Sue Cleaver's 'scary' health battle that triggered 3st weight loss

21 February 2024 , 19:00

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Sue spoke about the 'shame' that is attached to weight on Loose Women (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Coronation Street legend Sue Cleaver went through a 'scary, scary time' when she fell ill and lost weight as a result.

The actress, 60, who has played Eileen Grimshaw on the cobbles since 2000, has spoken openly about her three-stone weight loss journey over the years and the terrifying health battles that have played a role. Earlier this year, Sue appeared on Loose Women to talk about the 'shame' and 'judgement' she has been exposed to for losing weight, and explained it was largely down to a decline in her health.

She said: "My weight has been up, down, all over the place... a lot of it was helped by red wine. At the minute, I am a lot thinner but I've been ill this year, and for some reason my metabolism just seems to have changed." Sue continued: "What I hate about it is the shame that is attached to being a bigger person [and] the judgements that are made about another person."

Sue has played Eileen Grimshaw on Corrie since 2000 (Getty Images)

Sue had a hysterectomy last year and ended up in intensive care (@officialsuecleaver/Istagram)

A few months ago, the actress shut down claims that she used diet gummies to drop pounds after getting falsely embroiled in advertising for weight-loss pills online. She took to Instagram to warn fans: "I'm really, really sad that I have to actually make this video. I've had quite a lot of messages over the last couple of weeks asking me about Keto gummies.

"There's obviously some scam going around saying that I lost weight using Keto gummies... well it's cr*p. It's a scam. And if you've been taken in by it I'm so, so sorry. It's outrageous. I just want you to know that I would never, ever advocate anything like that."

Corrie's Sue Cleaver says I'm A Celebrity stint helped her to push boundaries

Sue previously told how she slimmed down when she decided to give up alcohol after having "loads of wine" during the pandemic. She now no longer drinks at all, saying being in a pub is her idea of 'hell'. The TV star 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." Sue confessed she put on "a lot of weight" by drinking wine in lockdown. She added: "Then I did dry January and I thought: 'I wonder what life would be like if I stopped completely?'"

Despite her recent transformation, Sue had a health scare early last year. She explained to the Loose Women panel: "I had a really bad year. I had a hysterectomy in March. Then a few weeks ago, I ended up in A&E, I don't need to go into details, but it was a scary scary time. I had surgery and ended up in intensive care."

When Sue made a cameo on Corrie in September, fans were amazed by her character Eileen Grimshaw's new look. "Crikey I didn't recognise Eileen for a second there! You look great @Sue_Cleaver," one declared on Twitter. Sue, who has played Eileen since 2000, has dropped several dress sizes since first appearing on our screens due to being diagnosed with a chronic health condition.

Sue was exempt from trials during I'm A Celeb due to her diabetes diagnosis (ITV)

Sue's Type 2 diabetes diagnosis first became public knowledge back in 2011, when the soap star received hospital treatment after collapsing on the set of Corrie. According to the NHS, Type 2 diabetes is when the sufferer's body cannot produce enough insulin. In the UK, around 90 percent of all adults with diabetes have Type 2.

Following the incident on set, Sue embarked on a health journey and transformed her diet – going from a size 16 to a 12 in 2019. The soap star is said to favour the Mediterranean diet, which is high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, cereals, grains, fish and unsaturated fats such as olive oil and usually includes a low intake of meat and dairy foods.

However, Sue wants to make it clear she isn't someone who obsesses over diets and weighing herself, telling Prima Magazine in March 2023: "I lost some weight in the jungle, but I'm not obsessing over diets: life is hard enough! There's always going to be outside pressure and unfair expectations placed on women, but I refuse to get pulled into it.

"That's why I'll never promote anything weight-related, and it's why I'd always compliment somebody on their smile or outfit, rather than their weight." The actress went on to gush over how her fifties have been the happiest 10 years of her life, adding she's happy with herself and where she is.

During her time in the jungle in 2022, Sue was exempt from several brutal I'm A Celeb trials due to her diabetes diagnosis. As she camped alongside the likes of Matt Hancock and Chris Moyles, Sue won praise for wearing a real-time continuous glucose monitoring patch on her arm. Speaking in support of Diabetes Week previously, Sue told Diabetesadvice.co.uk: "Having good control of diabetes is really important - after all, people with the condition live with it every day, taking care of their diet and physical activity levels."

Nia Dalton