Ex-EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison flogging at car boot sale after 'going broke'

Former EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison became a national treasure among soap fans playing Heather Trott in the BBC soap. So you'd assume she has been living a comfortable life on the back of her earnings.

But sadly not. Cheryl, 60, was recently spotted at a carboot sale in Blackpool selling personal belongings for as little as 33 pence an item, after she was left penniless due to the unethical practices of her accountant.

According to the star, she believed the money she had been sending to her accountant was being used to pay off HMRC - but that wasn't the case. Instead, he had been "pocketing" the money for himself, leaving her with a mountain of debt.

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Dressed causally in a fleece jacket and a pair of black leggings, Cheryl found herself selling her wares alongside her devoted son, Alex Saddiqi. Despite finding herself battling hard times, fans of the actress flocked to her for a selfie.

Cheryl's character was killed off in 2017 and has since found it difficult to land sustainable acting roles since her exit. In her autobiography, Behind The Scenes, the actress recalls the moment she found out she had been a victim of theft.

She wrote: "For five years, I paid him. For five years he pocketed the money and didn’t pay a single penny to HMRC. Everything I had built, saved and worked for was gone. I don’t use the word hate very often. It’s a heavy word, one you can’t always take back, but in this case, I meant it. I hated him."

She continued: "Going broke when you’re famous is the worst, because everyone expects you to have lots of money. People assume that you’re minted. They don't imagine you're juggling overdrafts, maxed-out credit cards, payday loans and mountains of bills. But that was exactly where I found myself."

The former TV star lives with her second husband Al-Jermoni in Blackpool who she married in 2011. Soon after the couple tied the knot, their life had already hit a curveball as he found it difficult to get a visa as a Moroccan national.

In an interview with OK! magazine she explained: "We try to keep our business private but yes financially it can be a strain to get these visas. But we're here now, we're in Blackpool - the Vegas of the north! - and we're settled."

Through steely determination, Cheryl has been doing her best to recover from her financial blows. In another chat with The Sun, she said she does not want to be judged for her current situation.

Cheryl explained: "My finances will take a long time to recover. Until I have steady work, I'm not rich or comfortable - I'm just surviving. I've been saying yes to everything for no money, but I need to start valuing my work and asking for fair pay. Even my agent insists on it. "

She added: "Still, I'll never give in. I want to keep singing. If people criticise me for singing in small restaurants, so be it.'

At the end of the day, I'm an entertainer. Community has always been important to me, and I'll perform no matter the crowd. If only two people show up, I don't care - I'm still being paid, and I'll still give it my all."

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