It was an incredibly rough start to the weekend for Hollyoaks actress Chelsee Healey as she was deemed ‘too ill to work’ and was forced to seek medical attention.
Chelsea debuted on the Chester-based soap in 2016, alongside twin sons Hunter (Theo Graham) and Prince (Malique Thompson-Dwyer), with the trio becoming firm fixtures in the McQueen household.
She was later joined by her mother, Breda (Moya Brady), and adopted-brother Sylver (David Tag), setting off her first big character arc.
She began to suspect her shady mum of wrong-doings, before she and the entire family ultimately discovered she was a serial killer, with a particular penchant for offing bad father figures.
Breda was ultimately disposed of via a knitting needle to the temple by Sylver, who she’d let take the rap for one of her first murders – Goldie’s father, Vinnie, who Goldie later lost to another McQueen murderer, Mercedes’ devilish son, Bobby (Jayden Jay Fox).
Chelsee shared a clip of herself in the back of a car with her head in her hands as she was clearly suffering. ‘I’m actually a fraud for posting that picture last night, state of me’ she captioned it.
‘Had to get a car to work cause guys I AM SICK. Heads bangin’ flu type sh*t’ she added.
She later added another post to her story, showing her in a medical waiting room, still evidently feeling unwell. She wrote across the snap: ‘Couldn’t work. Now I am here.’
Chelsee is best loved across the nation for her star-making turn in Waterloo Road as Janeece Bryant, a perennially gobby but good-hearted student in the first four series of the school-based drama.
Such was her popularity, that after her character graduated the school, she was brought back as a receptionist for a further three series. She later made an appearance in the revival of the show.
She later explored other roles in Doctors, Young Dracula, Casualty and became a runner up on series 9 of Strictly Come Dancing, before joining Hollyoaks as Goldie, a new addition to the infamous McQueen family.
Chelsee opened up about her recent difficulties and journey with lowering her guard and showing vulnerability, following her early exit from Dancing on Ice, on which she was the first celebrity eliminated, after a number of personal issues.
‘There has been a lot going on with me that I have been struggling with.
‘I wanted to come on here and speak about vulnerability. It’s so hard to come on here and open up and let people know that you’re vulnerable, and I feel like I’ve had a guard up my whole life.’
‘When I’m struggling I don’t let people in, and I’ve always put on a brave face and I don’t like people knowing I’m on a downward spiral.
‘I don’t like people to know that I’m not where I want to be, so I just think it’s very important to say if you do need help, please reach out.
‘It’s a cliche saying ‘It’s ok not to be ok,’ but you know, years ago I would never even come on social media like this, like ‘this is me,’ and this is the real, raw me.
‘I’m speaking from the heart as well, and as I’ve got older I don’t mind telling people I’m struggling – I think it’s good and speaking to people is good, and asking for help is fine. If you’re feeling a little bit vulnerable that’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s life and everyone’s vulnerable at some point.’
Chelsee was met with praise and love from her followers.
‘Thank you for opening up and showing vulnerability – I think we all have this but real bravery is opening up about it,’ one follower commented on the post.
A second follower added: ‘Keep it up babe, you look gorgeous and you’re amazing for this’ while a third said: ‘someone living their true life on social media, you’re incredible.’
Chelsee recently returned to Hollyoaks following her maternity leave and was thrust straight back into the drama, determined to see an escaped Bobby face justice for what he did to her brother.
Bobby, of course, never did face (proper) justice, after being offed by current ‘Oaks serial killer, Jez Blake (Jeremy Sheffield).
