Sheridan Smith has spoken about her emotional journey making The C Word.
The actress, who was recently seen in her role as Cilla Black, portrays blogger Lisa Lynch in the BBC One film.
It documents Ms Lynch’s battle with cancer and is based on her blog – named Alright T*t – and a book which was born out of the blog.
The C Word (BBC)
Sheridan said: “Lisa first contacted me via Twitter and we quickly became friends. She called me ‘SS’ and I called her ‘LL’. Her zest for life was infectious and I was moved and inspired by her courage and bravery. I couldn’t help but love her. That’s why I want to tell her story.”
She added: “My favourite line is when she goes, ‘I’m British, we just don’t talk about things like that’. And it gets me every time, because we don’t. And it’s cancer, and it touches one in three, and every single one of us, if we haven’t experienced it, will know a friend who has, and we should talk about it. It’s not a taboo subject and if we all pull together, it’s a hideous disease and we can try and fight it.”
Ms Lynch died in 2013, aged 33.
Smith said: “She was one of the people who cut through the bulls**t and said it how it is. God love her. We’re keeping her spirit alive.”
Sheridan Smith as Lisa Lynch and Paul Nicholls as Pete Lynch (BBC)
The actress’s eldest brother Julian died from cancer when he was 18.
She said: “I’m not really allowed to talk about my brother, but one thing I really remember about my brother passing of cancer is my mum and dad carrying him up and down the stairs, and out of the bath, so it is very real, and you have to show that bit.
“Because Lisa was funny, she’s brilliant and her humour was what we all adored about her, but you’ve got to show that very real side to it to.”
The C Word screens next month.
