Emmerdale star Jeff Hordley balances his commitments to the soap with managing a chronic health condition.
The actor has played iconic Cain Dingle on the hit soap for 19 years, but it hasn’t always been an easy road, as he’s had to battle Crohn’s disease.
And he has spoken about the condition on numerous occasions in an effort to raise awareness.
Speaking last year on Loose Women, Jeff – an ambassador for Crohn’s and Colitis UK – said: “You are not alone if you are suffering from Crohn’s or Colitis… although sometimes you might feel as if you are.
“There are at least 300,000 people with IBD in the UK – I’m one of them.”
He has also said in the past: “I know it’s embarrassing to talk about it, but even simple solutions like being near a bathroom at work can make such an improvement – so don’t be afraid to step up.”
Misdiagnosis
Jeff began experiencing symptoms when he was 20, suffering excruciating stomach pains. Doctors initially diagnosed him with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
“Even though I tried to avoid foods that upset my digestive system, such as coffee and Chinese takeaways, I was still sick and tired and I kept losing weight,” the 52-year old has said.
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His symptoms were so severe they began to interfere with his studies, as exhaustion meant he couldn’t make it to class.
“I was a drama student in Manchester and sometimes I had to miss lectures because I was too tired,” he admitted. “I even had to drop out of my final year plays.”
At one point Jeff thought he might not survive it, revealing: “As well as the diarrhoea and cramps I’d have episodes of horrendous stomach pains and vomiting.
3-stone weight loss
“I dropped from 12 stone to nine – which is a lot when you’re nearly six foot – and I was really thin and pale.”
He added: “I was weak and I looked terrible. I remember looking in the mirror and thinking grimly that even if I survived, this was not a good look for someone trying to carve out an acting career.”
Jeff eventually saw a specialist at the age of 26, who diagnosed him with Crohn’s disease.
But this initially left him fearing for his own life – his mum died after years of struggling with the condition.
He has previously said: “I was very close to my mum, and her death left a big gap in my life.
“Now all I could think of was that I was going to die too.”
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Chron’s symptoms
The actor, who married actress Zoe Henry in 2003, has been doing his best to manage his symptoms – which include diarrhoea, stomach pain, severe tiredness and weight loss – ever since.
He avoids wheat, dairy, sugar and alcohol for periods of time which help keep symptoms at bay.
He also maintains a regular running routine and incorporates aloe vera and probiotics into his diet to help ease digestion.
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