Sheridan Smith: 'The public always stood by me'

Available for over a year

She was first on our screens 25 years ago with sitcoms like The Royle Family and has since firmly established herself as a star of the stage with hits like Legally Blonde and Funny Girl. But Sheridan Smith has also struggled – sometimes silently, sometimes publicly – with alcohol and her mental health, particularly after the death of her father. In her latest play 'Opening Night' she plays a character with more than a few parallels with real life: Myrtle Gordon, an alcoholic Broadway legend struggling with her mental health on the eve of her latest show. In this episode of the 5 Minutes On podcast, the BBC's culture correspondent Charlotte Gallagher speaks to Sheridan Smith about the new role and how it helped to rebuild her self confidence. (Image: Gielgud Theatre)