Catherine Tyldesley has opened up about her ‘secret’ health condition and weighed in on soap representation of weight-loss jabs in a candid interview
 
The actress who plays Eva Price in Coronation Street revealed that she has been juggling a condition after leaving the soap and joining Strictly in 2019 (pictured on Corrie in 2017)

Catherine Tyldesley has opened up about a “secret” health condition and weighed in on weight-loss jabs in a revealing interview. The 42-year-old actress, known for playing Eva Price in Coronation Street, revealed how the intense workload following her soap departure and joining Strictly Come Dancing in 2019 triggered hormonal fluctuations, causing her weight to swing to the point she felt like “having a baby” without being pregnant.

Speaking candidly about weight-loss jabs, she added: ‘That pressure [on image] just doesn’t seem to go away, especially with social media (pictured on Corrie in 2018)

“Most of the time my hormones are fine,” Catherine told The Sun, “but after Strictly and doing the tour, they went a bit cuckoo. My oestrogen can spike. The long hours and constant work demand you stay as fit as a fiddle in our job.” She admitted that she now understands and respects her body far better than before.

During her time on the serial, Eva famously had a relationship with Aidan Connor (Shayne Ward) but he had an affair with Maria Connor (pictured on the show in 2018 with Shayne Ward)

Discussing the show’s current storylines, Catherine highlighted the importance of soap coverage on weight-loss jabs, referencing Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon), who is currently undertaking multiple treatments. She stressed: “That pressure on image just doesn’t go away, especially with social media. I train hard, eat well, treat myself occasionally, and work hard — this is where I’m supposed to be.”

Catherine left Coronation Street in 2018, but Eva is set to return later this year after a seven-year hiatus, with scenes airing as of October. During her previous tenure, Eva’s dramatic storylines included a turbulent relationship with Aidan Connor (Shayne Ward), a fake pregnancy, and complex family secrets, ultimately leaving the cobbles in a taxi with baby Susie after Aidan’s tragic death in 2017.

Post-Corrie, Catherine starred in the short-lived sitcom Scarborough and led in Bonnie & Clyde: The Musical, which was cancelled midway through its tour due to poor ticket sales. She later reunited with Shayne Ward on The Good Ship Murder, which aired its second series in January.

Reflecting on a potential return to the soap, Catherine told Prima magazine: “Coronation Street feels like forever ago, but I always look back with such great fondness. If they approached me with an amazing storyline and the timing was right, of course I’d go back. So it’s always a case of never say never.”