EastEnders' Cheryl Fergison reveals "special relationship" with former co-star

Despite leaving EastEnders back in 2012, Cheryl Fergison shares an unbreakable bond with one of her former co-stars. The Heather Trott actor was killed off in the BBC soap more than 10 years ago, but has kept in touch with several actors she appeared alongside in Walford.

One of them is Whitney Dean star Shona McGarty, who left the soap 12 years later in 2024 when Whitney started a new life in Wakefield after being betrayed by her fiancé, Zack Hudson, and best friend, Lauren Branning. She then briefly returned earlier this year.

Speaking to New Magazine, Cheryl recalled how, when she and Shona used to shoot scenes together, they would make music between takes.

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"When she first came into EastEnders, I used to play guitar. I can't do it so much now because of my hands, but I used to play guitar and write songs, and Shona would come into the dressing room and sing. She's got a beautiful voice," she said.

"We had quite a special relationship. It's really strange when you come out of something as iconic as EastEnders. But Shona's always supported my work, and she came to my wedding. We're there for each other."

The actor also revealed she would love to follow co-star Ross Kemp into The Celebrity Traitors, but admitted she would struggle with lying to her fellow contestants.

"I think when people lie, their nostrils flare. But I'm really lucky that I've got a solid nose, so it won't go anywhere," she said.

"But I can't tell fibs. I'm not very good at fibs, and if I do tell one, I just giggle. I'd be doing an Alan Carr the whole way through."

EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.

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