Latest news with #EileenGrimshaw
Daily Record
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Sue Cleaver opens up about 'massive fallout' with Denise Welch admitting she's a 'learner'
Sue Cleaver spoke to Love Sunday about her next steps following her exit from Coronation Street as Eileen Grimshaw after 25 years in the role. Sue Cleaver is currently looking forward to the summer and embarking on fresh ventures following her final bow from the cobbles. The actress who is known for her portrayal of Coronation Street 's Eileen Grimshaw, saw her last scenes broadcast earlier this month. During an exclusive conversation with Love Sunday, she emphasises her passion for "embracing change and living fearlessly". At 61, having spent a quarter of a century in Corrie, the regular on Loose Women is pursuing a personal journey of self-discovery. "I've made massive decisions to reinvent myself and embrace change. This is the time of life when society wants you to just go away quietly," Sue shares. She elaborates further, stating, "But this is the period, for a lot of women who have put themselves second – because they've brought up families, had mortgages, etcetera – when we hit an age and think, 'What now? Who am I?'". Her recent actions are geared towards personal evolution and exploration. 'Everything I've done in the last year has been about reinvention and discovery. "I'd like to say I'm one of life's learners, and I never stop learning. I'm just getting really interested in me, and challenging all the beliefs I had about myself.". Her forthcoming professional transformation will see her swap television drama for the theatre stage when she undertakes a role in Theatr Clwyd and Bolton Octagon's co-production of Snake In The Grass later in the summer. She finds this especially thrilling as it represents a significant "full circle" moment in her career. "The Octagon Theatre in Bolton is where I got my first equity card. I must've been in eight or nine plays there. So to be going back there at this stage in my life feels sort of full circle, it's quite lovely." Meanwhile, we occasionally glimpse the actress on Loose Women as a guest panellist. The talk show is gearing up for significant alterations come January, which includes bidding farewell to its live audience, as part of a series of ITV reductions. "I love that show. It's brilliant. I've known all the girls for years, so, yeah," she commented when asked about her desire for more time on the show now that her schedule has freed up a bit. And regarding the rumours of behind-the-scenes disputes? "They always like to say 'catfights', but they only say that about women, don't they? They wouldn't dream of saying that when it's blokes presenting something. Actually we're very tight. But it happens a lot when Denise [Welch] and I are on together. "We've known each other for 25 years – we're close friends and have a sort of shorthand in the way we communicate. The press will say 'massive fallout', but I've never fallen out with Denise in my life! It's quite awful, we've still got so far to go that it's depressing." Away from the screen, Sue has been quietly managing a personal health struggle. Having endured Type 2 diabetes for nearly three decades, she likens the daily mental impact of the condition to running "a mental marathon, every single day". Over the past three years, she's managed to alleviate some of her mental burden by using a Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor, which offers glucose readings automatically without needing to prick her finger. She described the relentless mental strain, saying, "I can't explain the mental fatigue you get, it's like an app running in the background of your brain, a constant noise of 'What's my sugar? Did I take my meds? What can I eat to avoid a spike?'" "It's like constant brain drain from making decisions, and the stress affects people because, unlike a diet, diabetes management is lifelong and that decision fatigue manifests in skipped medications and poor food choices. It's not about being lazy, people get totally overwhelmed and I really relate to that." Deciding to leave Coronation Street after dedicating 25 years to its allure was a significant move – one that she reflects on with contentment. Quite uniquely, and perhaps befitting her iconic standing as a stalwart of Weatherfield, Sue received the rare opportunity to engage in the discussions about her character Eileen's departure, which commenced with the stark contemplation of Eileen's potential demise. "They said, 'What kind of exit would you like? Dramatic? Do you want a final death?' And I said I didn't. I said I really wanted Eileen's son, Jason, to come back, and for it to mirror what I'm doing in my own life. For Eileen to get out there, live fearlessly, live bravely." Her last day of filming saw heartwarming scenes alongside her on-screen son Ryan Thomas. Following a celebratory meal with the cast and crew in high spirits, she bid adieu to the Manchester set on the succeeding day. Instead of lingering farewells, an early train to London beckoned, allowing little time for gloom. Her husband, Brian Owen, who still has roles to play behind the scenes on the show, signifies that her detachment from the world of Corrie isn't absolute. "That show's always been about the people, the sense of family and community, and I don't feel I've lost that. I had absolutely no doubt I was doing the right thing, and I'm not somebody who dwells on the past. Past thoughts are dead thoughts, I try to live in the present and enjoy every single moment." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver shares update on 'misunderstood' health battle as she admits to feeling 'faint while filming' after bidding farewell to the ITV soap after 25 years
Sue Cleaver has shared a new health update after leaving Coronation Street following a 25 year stint on the show. The soap star, 61, known for playing Eileen Grimshaw since 2000, said goodbye to Weatherfield in an episode that aired earlier this month. But behind the cameras, the actress has been battling Type 2 diabetes for over 20 years, which at times caused her to feel faint while filming. Sue now credits the use of a continuous glucose monitor called Dexcom with helping her take back control of her health. In a new interview with The Sun, she said: 'I think there is a lot of misunderstanding around diabetes, people tell you can't eat chocolate or sugar - but where I struggle with my diabetes is when I'm about to go on stage or when I'm about to go on Loose Women or live shows. 'Before I go on I'd have to prick my finger and check if my sugar is stable enough to get me to the interval or do I need to eat.' Sue confessed that there were moments on set when she felt 'faint' during filming. She explained: 'If I'm about to go on stage or live shows and I don't know if I'm going to make it if my sugars aren't stable enough, and I don't have time to prick my finger, you tend to think 'let me eat this thing now' and then you tend to feel the effects of it later or the middle of the show.' It comes after Sue insisted that her 'body doesn't define her' as she opened up about her incredible three stone weight loss. The star also admitted she was still learning to battle 'negative thoughts' about her appearance after embracing a healthier lifestyle and regular work outs. Last year, she told Bella: 'My body is now who I am. My body will change, my size will go up and down and I don't define myself or get involved in any of those conversations around it'. 'What's more important is to do the work on the inside. I'm changing how I live, doing things differently, thats that I thought I didn't like, and changing myself'. Sue continued: 'The trouble is when you've got negative thoughts you hang onto them. So it's learning not to take those thoughts so seriously. In March 2024, Sue discussed her weight loss after participating in Dry January the year before (no alcohol for the month). She said: 'I lost 18lb [in 2022's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here]. I'd already lost a stone and a half that year, because I gave up booze. I did Dry January and then I decided to carry on. 'I know it sounds ridiculous at my age, but I never really thought about how many calories I was consuming when I was having a glass of red wine while cooking dinner and then a couple more while eating it. 'If you're doing that four or five nights a week, that's a lot of calories.' Last year Sue revealed that since entering her 60s she feels that the world is now her 'oyster after years of alcohol dependency. Telling Prima: 'There are so many people my age who I speak to that are depressed about reaching 60. You feel like this is the end of the line, that everything goes down from here. And I absolutely don't feel that way. 'I just feel like the world really is my oyster now, and there's so much available out there. There's so much that you can do.' She also revealed in the candid interview how her reliance on alcohol has lessened as she gets older, explaining: 'I don't have any fear around alcohol any more, and that is really freeing.' 'I never imagined getting to that state. I thought I had a dependency. I thought I couldn't get by without having a glass of wine at night.' 'I thought life wouldn't be great without a glass of wine. It would be absolutely great without wine. I just thought it wouldn't. It's the thinking around it that is the problem.'
The Sun
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Coronation Street legend Sue Cleaver gives health update after quitting ITV soap – and reveals TV and Loose Women future
CORONATION Street legend Sue Cleaver has given fans a fresh health update after quitting the ITV soap after 25 years. The actress, who played telly favourite Eileen Grimshaw since 2000, waved goodbye to the cobbles in an emotional exit episode earlier this month. 7 7 7 Behind-the-scenes, Sue, 61, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes over 20 years ago, and while she's known for her strength on screen, the star admitted at times she'd feel faint while filming. But the star has now admitted that the use of Dexcom, a continuous glucose monitor, has helped give her back control of her life. Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Sue said: "I think there is a lot of misunderstanding around diabetes, people tell you can't eat chocolate or sugar - but where I struggle with my diabetes is when I'm about to go on stage or when I'm about to go on Loose Women or live shows. "Before I go on I'd have to prick my finger and check if they're stable enough to get me to the interval or do I need to eat. Sue admitted there has been times that she's felt "faint" on screen. "If I'm about to go on stage or live shows and I don't know if I'm going to make it if my sugars aren't stable enough, and I don't have time to prick my finger, you tend to think 'let me eat this thing now' and then you tend to feel the effects of it later or the middle of the show. "But where the Dexcom, I just have to look at my phone and see my sugar levels, it takes all of the worry out of it." TV FUTURE After quitting the soap, Sue has now also revealed what her future TV career plans include and whether or not she'll join a rival soap. She told us: "I'm chuffed with my Coronation Street legacy, they gave me a wonderful send off and the ending that I asked for and I wanted Eileen's exit to mirror what I feel I'm doing and what I want other women to do - to live fearlessly, don't let fear hold you back, be who you want to be. "It's never too late to try something new, that's what I wanted for her, this realisation for her to go 'hang on a minute, I don't have to stay, I can do something completely different, all it takes is courage. "I think people forget that you either have courage or you don't, courage is a muscle, start really small and put yourself our of your comfort zone for a couple of minutes a day, enquire about book club or evening class, because that muscle really does." Sue said her final scenes "brought a tear to her eye" as she saw the taxis lined up down the street. "There were moments when I had a little wave of emotion, we filmed the final scene on a Thursday and we went out for dinner and I came back on the Friday to do some other scenes and at the end of that it was really weird feeling. It felt right." The TV star admitted she now has the "freedom" to explore other passion projects after spending over two decades at ITV. She said: "It was the right time for me to go, the door is still open, my hearts there, my husband still works there, I still see them all. "But for now, it's absolutely the right thing, it's time for me to have some freedom, to not be committed to things, to do passion projects, which is why I'm going back to the theatre. "I love doing Loose Women, there are other things I want to do and there is a lot more of the world I want to see." Although Sue has the freedom to join other soaps, she admitted her loyalties still lie with Corrie, saying: "I don't think so at this stage, I think I'm very committed to Corrie and Corrie has been very committed to me. "I've been incredibly fortunate and it gave me the opportunity that not many actresses have, to be at home, to be there for my son in the morning and put him to bed at night and to have a proper home life, whereas normally you have to go where the work is. "I've been extremely fortunate, it's not lost on me how lucky I've been, it has a big place in my heart." Soap fans were devastated after it was announced that matriarch Eileen was set to leave the soap, just months after Helen Worth, who played Gail Platt, also said farewell. She said: "Weirdly enough I remember quite a long time before it came out that Helen was going, she rang me and said 'I just wanted to ring and tell you I'm leaving', and I went 'Helen, I just want to tell you I'm leaving as well'." A number of stars on the soap have been axed over the last few years amid budget cuts. However, Sue, who starred on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2022, admitted she left the soap on her terms and had made the decision years ago. "I made the decision to leave when I went and did the jungle, I'd known for a while, it had been a while in the planning," she said. HEALTH UPDATE Sue has opened up about wearing the Dexcom ONE+, a continuous glucose monitor that helps track her glucose levels to manage her Type 2 diabetes. Sue said: "Dexcom has made a big difference in my life, having diabetes and having decision fatigue - it can be a mental marathon all the time. "Diabetes is lifelong and the management is lifelong and you do get tired thinking about what you can eat and what impact it's going to have. "What I love about Dexcom, it helps me see how my body is reacting to stress, food in real time. It stops me needing to guess but it tracks all the trends. Dexcom is a small, fast and easy to use, helping to simplify diabetes management for those with Type 2. Dexcom's new State of Type 2 Report - which looked at patients and doctors in the UK and other key European cities - discovered 72% of those living with Type 2 Diabetes believe that using a CGM device helps to improve their lives, a further 74% believe that it would also reduce the risk of complications. EXIT STORYLINE Sue said she told ITV bosses that she wanted her on-screen son Ryan Thomas to return as part of her exit storyline. She said: "I asked for Ryan to come back, I rang him even before I rang Corrie to let him know I was leaving. I told him not to say anything and asked him to come back and he went 'I'd have to for my mother'. They asked me what plan of exit I'd like and I said I want Eileen to go off to Thailand to start her new life and Ryan to come back and take me." The theatre star said she now has the freedom work on various other projects after dedicating over two decades to the soap. "I won't miss being tied to people, I'm really enjoying my freedom and getting up in the morning and going to the gym and deciding what to do with my day," she continued. "Everything I do now are passion projects like going back to the theatre. "I've got so much going on at the minute." Although Sue is no long on Corrie, she has her hands full with other TV jobs including being a panelist on Loose Women. But the star firmly hit back at rumours that the panel is feuding. Sue said: "I love it. I've known the girls for years, it's such a fun thing to do. It's that typical thing, Denise and I will disagree with something on the show, we're great mates, we've known each other for 26 years but then there are rumours that they've fallen out, we've not fallen out over anything. "People don't say that when you see Match of the Day, can we not please move on. "It is one big family and a huge amount of loyalty. We're very honest and brave and we put ourselves out there and in order to do that we have to feel very safe. "We don't wear our heart on our sleeve and talk about things like that when you don't feel safe. "There aren't clashes, we're making our programme and doing our job - it's just different opinions, we're not falling out with each other. I get on with everybody, I love them all. It's just really nice." Last month it was announced that Loose Women will air for only 30 weeks of the year from January. Speaking about her Loose Women future, Sue said: "Nobody knows what's happening in TV, I'm just getting on with what I'm doing in my life and I'm just enjoying it. "I've had a great time on it, I've had a great ride, I don't know what will happen in the future - I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow or the next hour." 7 7 7
Glasgow Times
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Coronation Street Sue Cleaver lands new role days after exit
The actress, who played the role of Eileen Grimshaw, ended her 25-year stint on the show after her character opted to swap Weatherfield for Thailand. She announced her exit from the show earlier this year, explaining that she wanted to "embrace change". Why did Sue Cleaver leave Coronation Street? Sue Cleaver decided to leave Coronation Street to "embrace change" and try something different. According to The Mirror, she said: "The door is still firmly open but as I reached my 60th year, I decided it was time to embrace change, look for new adventures and live fearlessly." Sue Cleaver lands new role just days after leaving Coronation Street exit The ITV star is now joining the cast of Snake in the Grass at the Theatr Clwyd and Octagon Theatre Bolton. According to The Metro, the actress is set to star alongside Nicola Stephenson and Lisa Zahra when the new production hits the stage this autumn. Is Sue Cleaver in Dinnerladies and what other shows has she acted in? Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver is best known for playing the role of Eileen Grimshaw, but according to IMDb, she has also acted in a number of other shows. She starred in eight episodes of Stanton Blues in 1998, played Glenda in Dinnerladies and has acted in a Touch of Frost. Recommended Reading: She has starred in 2256 episodes of Coronation Street, playing her famous role since the year 2000. The actress also played the role of Sister Treece on the soap for one episode in 1994. Coronation Street is available to watch and stream live on ITV, STV, ITVX and STV Player.
South Wales Argus
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Coronation Street Sue Cleaver lands new role days after exit
The actress, who played the role of Eileen Grimshaw, ended her 25-year stint on the show after her character opted to swap Weatherfield for Thailand. She announced her exit from the show earlier this year, explaining that she wanted to "embrace change". Why did Sue Cleaver leave Coronation Street? Sue Cleaver decided to leave Coronation Street to "embrace change" and try something different. According to The Mirror, she said: "The door is still firmly open but as I reached my 60th year, I decided it was time to embrace change, look for new adventures and live fearlessly." Sue Cleaver lands new role just days after leaving Coronation Street exit The ITV star is now joining the cast of Snake in the Grass at the Theatr Clwyd and Octagon Theatre Bolton. According to The Metro, the actress is set to star alongside Nicola Stephenson and Lisa Zahra when the new production hits the stage this autumn. Is Sue Cleaver in Dinnerladies and what other shows has she acted in? Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver is best known for playing the role of Eileen Grimshaw, but according to IMDb, she has also acted in a number of other shows. She starred in eight episodes of Stanton Blues in 1998, played Glenda in Dinnerladies and has acted in a Touch of Frost. Recommended Reading: She has starred in 2256 episodes of Coronation Street, playing her famous role since the year 2000. The actress also played the role of Sister Treece on the soap for one episode in 1994. Coronation Street is available to watch and stream live on ITV, STV, ITVX and STV Player.
