Sheridan Smith has said her father’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent death from the disease led to her having a “massive meltdown”.
Following her dad Colin’s diagnosis in March 2016, the actress and singer took a break from the spotlight, including her role playing Fanny Brice in the West End production of ‘Funny Girl’.
In a new ITV documentary airing on Sunday (4 November), the 37-year-old star opens up about that difficult period of her life.
She says: “I kind of lost it a bit after [my dad] died. I’ve come out the other side now and I need to get it all out through my music. Especially in the public, it looks like I’ve moaned about everything with my Dad dying but that’s not the case, I just had a massive meltdown.
“As soon as my Dad got that diagnosis it was like ‘I’m not leaving your side, I’m not leaving you’ and my mum was like, ‘Well, you’ve got to get back, you’ve got the show, you can’t let people down’ and rightly so.
“I know what she is saying, people had bought tickets a year in advance and I hate letting people down.”
She adds: “I’ve come out the other side and I think people are very forgiving of all that, even though it’s all been in the public eye . . . Everyone has wobbles in life, don’t they?”
Sheridan has since found happiness with 28-year-old insurance broker Jamie Horn, who she met on Tinder. The couple got engaged in May this year after a whirlwind three-month romance.
Talking about the moment Jamie proposed, pointing to their bed, she says: “It was on that bed. I’d just come out the shower and you laid where [her dog] Dumbo is sat. I came out the shower and you went . . . ”
Jamie chips in: “‘You going to marry me or what?’ I pulled it out the bag, I thought it’s a big day. It felt natural, it was effortless, that’s how I felt about it. You probably thought ‘lazy bastard’.”
Sheridan adds: “I think I’m the happiest I’ve been right now. Eating a sausage, chips and gravy with the love of my life and my new puppy.”
‘Sheridan Smith: Coming Home’ is on ITV on Sunday at 9.30pm