Sheridan Smith says ‘humiliating’ Graham Norton alcohol joke ‘tipped her over the edge’

‘I was in unbelievable distress’

Sheridan Smith has opened up about a joke Graham Norton made at her expense at an awards show, saying the quip “tipped her over the edge”.

In a recent interview with Stella magazine, the Cleaning Up star spoke candidly about a difficult period in her life following her father’s cancer diagnosis in 2016.

While starring in Funny Girl in London, Smith pulled out of the production due to the mental health issues she was experiencing at the time.

Later that year at the Bafta Awards, Norton referenced Smith’s departure from the show while addressing the audience.

“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 talk show host said.

A performance of Funny Girl had recently been cancelled midway through, with theatre management stating the cause was “technical difficulties”.

“That tipped me over the edge. I just lost it,” Smith said, regarding Norton’s comment.

“I was in unbelievable distress, trying to keep it all together and then a room full of people in my industry were just laughing at me.”

Smith added that the gag made her feel “desperation” and “humiliation”.

“I fell over the edge,” the actor stated.

Following her father’s cancer diagnosis, Smith said she “couldn’t cope” with the stress she was experiencing.

“I’d been to see specialists about stress and anxiety. I didn’t what was happening to me,” the 37-year-old said.

Smith added that doctors gave her conflicting diagnoses, with one saying she had bipolar disorder and another diagnosing her with extreme anxiety disorder.

“All I knew was that the man I loved most in the world was in a hospital bed and I just wanted to be with him,” the actor stated.

Her father, Colin Smith, died in December 2016.

Smith recently revealed that she won’t be reprising her role as Ruth “Rudi” Smith in the upcoming Gavin and Stacey Christmas special.

“I wish. No, I’m not going to be in it, I think,” Smith said.