Highlights
- Sheridan Smith opens up about the 2016 Baftas incident that caused lasting embarrassment
- The moment followed her absence from Funny Girl during a period of personal crisis
- The actor says she now feels able to “reclaim” a painful chapter of her life
- Smith later revealed she was hospitalised after collapsing that same night
A career marked by success — and pressure
Sheridan Smith has built one of the most celebrated acting careers of her generation, earning acclaim for performances in Cilla, The Teacher and I Fought the Law. But alongside professional success, she has also spoken candidly about the personal toll taken by intense workloads and public scrutiny.
Nearly a decade ago, that pressure came into sharp focus when she missed several performances as Fanny Brice in the West End revival of Funny Girl, with understudies stepping in during her absence.
Funny Girl absence and public speculation
At the time, the missed shows coincided with Smith’s father Colin being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Producers attributed her absence to stress and exhaustion, issuing a statement saying the cast and crew were supporting her through an “extremely difficult and stressful time”.
Despite this, speculation followed — and it reached a public peak during the 2016 Baftas ceremony.
The Baftas joke that cut deep
While hosting the awards, Graham Norton made a remark referencing “a few glasses of technical difficulties”, a line widely interpreted as a joke about Smith’s absence from the stage production. Smith, who was seated in the audience, later said the comment left her mortified.
The actor has since admitted that at the time she was drinking heavily and taking anti-anxiety medication, but said the joke reduced a serious situation to a public punchline.
‘I felt ashamed — and I still sometimes do’
Now 44, Smith has returned to the incident with greater distance. Speaking to The Times, she said addressing it publicly feels like “reclaiming it”.
She admitted the embarrassment still lingers, comparing it to regret over old tattoos — something she might wish away, but cannot erase. Smith was clear, however, that she does not blame others for what happened, describing herself as being “in a bad state” at the time.
She also noted that attitudes feel different now, suggesting the industry has become more understanding around mental health.
The night that ended in hospital
What was not known publicly at the time was that Smith collapsed later that same evening. She was rushed to A&E after suffering five seizures, during which she stopped breathing.
Years later, she detailed the ordeal in her ITV documentary Sheridan Smith: Becoming Mum, explaining that she had become dependent on anti-anxiety medication and abruptly stopped taking it while alone in a hotel room — unaware of the dangers of doing so.
A friend arriving unexpectedly helped save her life by calling for emergency assistance.
Looking back — and forward
Reflecting on the Baftas moment in the documentary, Smith described the joke as “the final straw” before her mental health deteriorated further. She said the humiliation of being singled out in front of industry peers compounded an already fragile situation.
Today, as she prepares to appear on Saturday Kitchen, Smith says revisiting the episode is about taking ownership of her story, rather than letting it define her.
