Hollyoaks’ real-life health battles – cancer aged 28, anxiety and Parkinson’s disease

Since making its debut on telly screens back in 1995, Hollyoaks has become a firm favourite with viewers.

From cancer and seminar to body dysmorphia to self-harm, the soap very rarely strays away from a hard-hitting storyline – especially when it comes to health related issues.

In recent episodes of the Channel 4 soap, viewers have seen soap favourite Joel Dexter get a shock diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.

READ MORE: Hollyoaks’ Nightingale family ‘torn apart’ after Juliet’s death confirms Lucy-Jo Hudson

While influencer and villain Rayne has apparently lied about a bump she’s found – something Lacey is keen to get her to admit in Wednesday’s episode (July 5).

But away from the famous Cheshire village and Channel 4 cameras, several of the soap stars’ lives are just as dramatic.

While their characters’ struggles may be spoken about on a more regular occurrence, the actors hope to inspire fans by sharing their own health battles.

So, with it all kicking off on Hollyoaks this week, Daily Star is taking a look at the devastating realities the cast members have faced over the last few years.

Abi Phillips

In 2022, Abi Phillips revealed she had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer aged just 28.

The Channel 4 star, better known for playing Liberty Savage, emotionally told fans in a heartfelt post: “You never think it’s going to happen to you.”

Abi had found two lumps in her neck but because she believed she had youth on her side, she never for a second thought it could be cancer

But thankfully, she decided to get the growths checked out for her own “peace of mind”.

The doctor had been worried about where the growths had been located and requested for Abi to be sent for an immediate biopsy.

Going on to open up about the frightful diagnosis, she added: “Fast forward two weeks and just before Easter weekend I had an appointment to see a consultant at the QE hospital who sat me down and told me that I had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and that I would need surgery and radiotherapy treatment.”

The Hollyoaks star told fans: “I never thought I would be told that I have cancer at the age of 28, you never think it’s going to happen to you.”

Lysette Anthony

Former Hollyoaks star Lysette Anthony has admitted she “felt like [she] was going to die” amid battling Parkinson’s Disease.

The star landed the role of Marnie Nightingale in the Channel 4 soap after first appearing as Yvonne Summers back in 2008.

The star was diagnosed aged just 52 – and opened up about her battle for the first time while speaking to OK! Magazine, admitting her symptoms have gotten worse over the past six years.

She explained to the publication: “At Christmas it was so bad. One of the symptoms you can get is muscle freezing. You cannot move but then you just get this rush of smoke sound inside your ears and then you fall and knock yourself down.

“I thought that was it. I couldn’t get off the couch. I was so frightened in every sense.”

She explained: “I remember thinking […] ‘This is it. If I don’t keep breathing, I’ll be dead’.”

Lysette also added that if she does too much, her body will shut down and her hands stop working – and on one occasion had to crawl to the toilet, which took 45 minutes.

The star has admitted that while she isn’t “exactly thrilled” about her diagnosis, she has “made peace” with it in many ways, and managing the pain with a combination of medication which includes beta blockers and dopamine.

Joe Tracini

Joe Tracini joined Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks in 2011 as Dennis Savage and appeared until November 2014.

In 2022, he appeared on This Morning where he opened up about living with borderline personality disorder.

Speaking of his disorder, Joe, who is the son of comedian Joe Pasquale, said: “Because it’s in my head people don’t really know how to cope with it.

“Essentially what BPD is is, I have a voice in my head that hates me and hates everything I do, everything I’ve been, and everything that I’m ever going to be.”

He added: “It’s living with a school bully in my head.”

Joe had previously opened up about his mental health struggles, revealing in 2020 that his “brain told him to kill himself.”

Appearing on Good Morning Britain he told host Lorraine Kelly that his personality disorder is a constant battle.

The TV personality told the Scottish presenter: “So on Tuesday my brain kept telling me to kill myself and I waited it out, as I do.

“If I just hang about, however I feel always changes, and I’ve stopped watching the news, there is no news for me.”

James Sutton

James Sutton has played John Paul McQueen since 2006 and in 2021 he opened up to fans about his battle with his mental health in an emotional Instagram post.

In the video, the actor shared that he was struggling with anxiety, saying: “I have been waking up and feeling anxious all day long.

“Feeling, like, a sense of impending doom, like all of a sudden everything’s going to go to sh*t and my whole life’s gonna fall apart.”

He added that social media played a huge part in his anxiety, saying: “I realised that a lot of that is down to how I’m starting my day.

“Historically, I start my day by waking up and checking Twitter and checking Instagram. I realise the irony of me posting this on Instagram!”

However, James ended the video by sharing some updates on how he is managing struggling with anxiety, which included taking part in regular meditation sessions, and not checking social media as soon as he wakes up.

Rory Douglas-Speed

Rory Douglas-Speed shot to fame playing Joel Dexter on the Channel 4 soap – and in 2022 he bravely opened up about living with Type 1 diabetes.

Speaking to The Mirror, Rory said: “I was only a young lad when I was diagnosed – around eight or nine, so as you can imagine it was definitely a shock.”

The actor also said he was one of those people who had “all of the obvious symptoms.”

He explained: “I was running to the toilet every few minutes, I was drinking excessively to try and quench my thirst, and at the same time, I was rapidly losing weight.”

Hollyoaks airs weeknights on Channel 4 at 6.30pm followed by first-look episodes on E4 at 7pm or watch from midnight on All4

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk