Cheryl Fergison has finally bagged herself a new job in Ireland’s first-ever social media soap opera, Centra Deli Drama, after she confessed she was ‘broke’.
The former EastEnders star, 60, who played Heather Trott in the soap, will star as an estranged sister called Pam.
Her dramatic arrival at the deli sets off a tornado of conflict, confession and comical chaos with her sister Sharon – played by Jennifer Zamparelli.
Centra is a real deli shop which has over 500 stores nationwide and every store is independently owned and run by local people.
The show will also detail the funny everyday stories that unfold behind the deli counter.
It also features a star-studded lineup, including Sorcha Morgan, Amanda Stewart, Carl McGuire, Job Oueno, and David Nulty.
Cheryl Fergison, 60, has finally bagged herself a new job in Ireland’s first-ever social media soap opera, Centra Deli Drama, after she confessed she was ‘broke’
The former EastEnders star, who played Heather Trott (pictured in 2012) in the soap, will star as an estranged sister called Pam
And it is not just celebrities that are part of the cast, as general, everyday shop workers will also star in the new show.
Cheryl played Heather across 386 episodes of EastEnders, but she was killed off in 2012 and has struggled to find meaningful acting work since shooting her final scenes.
Cheryl suffered a further blow after discovering she had been left penniless by her accountant, as detailed in her autobiography, Behind the Scenes.
‘For five years, I paid him. For five years, he pocketed the money and didn’t pay a single penny to HMRC,’ she wrote.
‘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 added: ‘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 actress now lives with her second husband, Al-Jermoni, in Backpool, but visa problems initially prevented the Moroccan nationalfrom relocating to the United Kingdom after marrying Cheryl in 2011.
Her dramatic arrival at the deli sets off a tornado of conflict, confession and comical chaos with her sister Sharon – played by Jennifer Zamparelli
Cheryl played Heather across 386 episodes of EastEnders, but she was killed off in 2012 and has struggled to find meaningful acting work since shooting her final scenes
Al-Jermoni remained in his native Morocco for nine years, during which a devastating earthquake, its subsequent relief effort, and the coronavirus pandemic created additional obstacles.
She told OK! magazine: ‘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.’
Earlier this year, the actress admitted she is ‘not comfortable’ financially but ‘working her way back up’ after being forced to flog tickets to see her perform at a Chinese takeaway opening night.
Speaking to The Sun about how she should not be ‘judged for trying to get back on their feet’, she said: ‘My finances will take a long time to recover.
Cheryl suffered a further blow after discovering she had been left penniless by her accountant, as detailed in her autobiography, Behind the Scenes
‘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.
‘Still, I’ll never give in. I want to keep singing. If people criticise me for singing in small restaurants, so be it.’
She added: ‘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.’
The first episode of Centra Deli Drama aired on Thursday exclusively on Centra’s social channels.
