Sheridan Smith Reclaims Public Humiliation to Personal Power

Sheridan Smith has long been one of Britain’s most beloved and versatile performers. With a career spanning critically acclaimed television dramas, West End triumphs, and deeply personal documentaries, she has built a reputation not only as a gifted actress but also as a woman unafraid to show her vulnerability. Yet behind the awards, applause, and public affection lies a chapter of her life that was once defined by humiliation, misunderstanding, and pain, a chapter she is now choosing to reclaim.

Nearly a decade after a widely publicised and deeply distressing moment at the 2016 BAFTA Awards, the 44-year-old actress is speaking candidly about what really happened, how it affected her, and why she believes the industry, and society, has changed for the better. In doing so, Sheridan Smith is not reopening old wounds for shock value. Instead, she is transforming a moment of public shame into one of personal empowerment.

A Career Built on Talent and Tenacity

Sheridan Smith’s rise to stardom has been anything but accidental. From her early days in comedy roles to her powerhouse dramatic performances, she has consistently demonstrated a rare ability to inhabit characters with emotional depth and authenticity. Audiences were captivated by her portrayal of Cilla Black in Cilla, moved by her intensity in The Teacher, and gripped by her performance in I Fought The Law. On stage, her turn as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl was hailed as nothing short of extraordinary, cementing her status as a West End star.

But success, as Sheridan has often acknowledged, does not make someone immune to personal struggles. In fact, the pressure that accompanies high-profile roles can sometimes amplify existing vulnerabilities, something Sheridan knows all too well.

In 2016, during her run as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, Sheridan was forced to miss several performances. At the time, producers cited stress and exhaustion, reassuring the public that she was receiving the care and support she needed. What was not widely known then was that Sheridan was also dealing with one of the most devastating experiences imaginable: her father Colin was terminally ill with cancer.

The emotional toll was immense. Balancing grief, exhaustion, professional responsibility, and public scrutiny became overwhelming. While understudies stepped in to keep the show running, rumours began circulating, rumours that would soon take on a life of their own.

The situation came to a head at the 2016 BAFTA Awards. With millions watching and the industry’s elite gathered in the room, host Graham Norton made a joke that would haunt Sheridan for years to come. Referring to cancelled theatre performances, he quipped: “We’re all excited for a couple of drinks tonight. Or, as it’s known in theatrical circles, a few glasses of technical difficulties.” The implication was clear and devastating. Sheridan, seated among her peers, felt publicly accused of being intoxicated and unreliable. The laughter in the room cut deep.

In later interviews, Sheridan admitted the moment left her utterly mortified. It wasn’t just embarrassment; it was a sense of exposure, of being judged and dismissed in front of the very people whose respect she valued most. At the time, she was already struggling with alcohol and anti-anxiety medication, coping mechanisms that had quietly spiralled into dependency.

The Hidden Crisis Behind Closed Doors

What the audience at the BAFTAs did not know and what made the joke all the more painful, was that Sheridan was on the brink of a medical emergency. That very night, she collapsed and was rushed to A&E after suffering five seizures that caused her to stop breathing. The seizures were triggered by abruptly stopping anti-anxiety medication, a decision she made in a desperate attempt to regain control of her life.

In her ITV documentary Sheridan Smith: Becoming Mum, she later revealed the full extent of that terrifying night. Fighting back tears, she recalled checking herself into a hotel alone, convinced she could “fix” everything by sheer willpower. Instead, her body shut down. It was only thanks to a friend’s timely intervention that Sheridan survived. Against the odds, someone arrived at the hotel and managed to get her breathing again before paramedics rushed her to hospital. Sheridan has since described it as nothing short of a miracle.

For years, Sheridan carried the weight of that night in silence. The public narrative painted her as unprofessional or reckless, while the truth, grief, addiction, mental health struggles, remained largely hidden. In recent interviews with The Times, she admitted that the shame lingered long after the headlines faded. “You’re embarrassed,” she said. “I felt ashamed, and I still sometimes feel it. Like, ‘Oh, I wish that part of my life hadn’t happened.’

But it did.” In a moment of striking honesty, she compared the experience to her tattoos, something she might not choose again, but which is now part of her story. Rather than denying or erasing the past, Sheridan is learning to live with it, to acknowledge it, and ultimately to take ownership of it.

Now, nearly a decade on, Sheridan Smith is approaching the incident with a new perspective. As she prepares to appear on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, she has spoken openly about “reclaiming” what happened, refusing to let a moment of public humiliation define her entire career or character. Importantly, she has also been clear that she does not place blame elsewhere. “That was no one’s fault,” she explained. “That was just on me. I was in a bad state at the time.”

Yet she also acknowledges that times have changed. Conversations around mental health, addiction, and compassion within the entertainment industry have evolved. Jokes that once passed as harmless now carry greater scrutiny, and there is a growing recognition of the responsibility that comes with public platforms. “I think you’re right,” she added. “It maybe wouldn’t happen now. It is a bit kinder now.”

Sheridan’s belief that the industry has become more empathetic reflects a broader cultural shift. Mental health is no longer a taboo subject whispered about behind closed doors. Celebrities speaking out about addiction, anxiety, and burnout have helped dismantle harmful stereotypes and encouraged more honest conversations.

Sheridan Smith has been a significant part of that shift. Through her documentaries and interviews, she has used her platform not to seek sympathy, but to foster understanding. Her openness has resonated with countless people who see their own struggles reflected in her story. Today, Sheridan is not defined by that night at the BAFTAs. She is a mother, a survivor, and an artist who continues to deliver powerful performances. Her career has not only endured, it has flourished.

Turning Pain Into Purpose

What makes Sheridan Smith’s journey so compelling is not just her talent, but her humanity. She has stumbled, suffered, and nearly lost everything, yet she has emerged with greater self-awareness and resilience. By revisiting one of the most painful moments of her life on her own terms, she has transformed humiliation into healing.

In reclaiming her story, Sheridan is reminding us that public perception is often incomplete, and that compassion should always come before judgement. Her experience stands as a powerful testament to the importance of kindness, in the media, in the industry, and in our everyday lives. As audiences continue to celebrate Sheridan Smith’s work, her legacy is becoming about more than awards or ratings. It is about honesty, growth, and the courage to confront the past without letting it dictate the future.

And perhaps most importantly, it is about proving that even the most painful chapters can become sources of strength, when we choose to reclaim them.