Hannah Spearitt told close friends she almost quit Dancing on Ice before the show's launch on January 14 due to her crippling health condition (Image: PA Photo)

Dancing on Ice star Hannah Spearitt's 'crippling' health battle that almost saw her quit show

The former S Club 7 star suffers from a serious autoimmune disease which has previously left her unable to do simple things such as cook or even board a train herself.

by · Daily Record

S Club 7 star Hannah Spearitt returned to screens this weekend for her Dancing on Ice debut as she took to the ice with pro partner Andy Buchanan.

The 42-year-old, who previously starred in EastEnders, had had a tough few years after she was set to join the S Club reunion tour before the tragic death of her ex-boyfriend and former band mate Paul Cattermole.

Hannah pulled out of the band's arena tour after the late singer's death in April 2023 which saw her physical and mental health deteriorate.

Paul and Hannah dated for five years from 2001 to 2006, with the pair later rekindling their romance in 2015 before calling it off again.

However, what many may not know about the 90's singer is that she suffers with a serious autoimmune disease which she previously revealed has left her unable to cook for herself or even get on a train.

Hannah is partnered up with pro skater Andy Buchanan on Dancing on Ice 2024 (Image: Ian West/PA Wire)

According to the Mail Online, the S Club star said she first experienced similar symptoms when she underwent surgery to get breast implants in 2013.

However, she believes that the condition was triggered once again due to the stress of having two heart breaking miscarriages in 2022.

In a new interview, Hannah revealed that she has been suffering from symptoms such as chronic fatigue, brain fog and vertigo.

Speaking to Hello! Magazine, she said: “I don't think I realised how much I'd deteriorated because it happened so gradually, I had no energy and couldn't even get on a train or cook dinner.

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"That affected my mental health, too, because I've always been a physical and sporty person, it's only when you get better and can do things you love again that you realise how bad things were.”

Speaking of her decision to pull out of the S club reunion after Paul's death, the actress explained: “I hadn’t been in the best of health — I’ve got a compromised immune system and stress makes it worse.

“My body just couldn’t cope with everything that was happening. I wasn’t myself.”

Hannah added that she was suffering from “crippling panic attacks” and was “tired all the time.”

The mum-of-two said that her symptoms can also affect her relationship with her children as she sometimes has "no energy to do ­anything with them.”

Hannah was left heartbroken over her former bandmate Paul Cattermole's death in 2023 who she previously dated from 2001 to 2006 (Image: Dave Hogan/Getty Images)

The singer shares her two kids, Taya, five, and Tora, three with husband Adam Thomas.

Hannah is currently starring on Dancing on Ice 2024 but admitted to close pals that she nearly pulled out of the show after training left her in tears.

The former S club star was said to be "overwhelmed" by the gruelling rehearsals which intensified her auto-immune condition and saw her miss a series of practice runs as a result.

ITV bosses were said to be concerned that Hannah would quit the show after she was left lagging behind the rest of the stars.

A source said: “Before Christmas, there was a spell where Hannah was mis­­sing more than one session a week. Losing those hours has a real impact. She has found the training harder than she expected and, at times, has been in tears.

"She has confided in pals about her struggle, and told them she wanted to walk away. And while she never voiced this to ITV, the bosses were concerned that she would fall too far behind and pull out altogether.

"Luckily, she has really rallied since Christmas and now seems in a much better place.”

The insider added: “Dancing On Ice rehearsals are gruelling – much more than people realise – and Hannah won’t be the first to struggle. But everyone’s hoping she can hold it together from here and show off everything she’s learned so far.”

Hannah was due to take part in the S Club reunion last year but pulled out after the death of her ex-boyfriend Paul (Image: Press Association)

Hannah is not the first S Club 7 star to appear on the figure skating competition as former bandmate Rachel Stevens competed on the show in 2022.

However, the mum has not been in touch with any of her old bandmates since dropping out of the reunion after Paul's death as she admitted it "just didn't feel right."

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The singer, who recently released her book Facing The Music, said last week that skating has been having a positive impact on her mental health.

A spokeswoman for Hannah said: “Hannah is loving the challenge and her body is feeling fitter from it. She has to be careful because of her immune condition but it’s been just what she needed.”

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