Viewers of ITV drama Cold Feet were left brushing tears from their eyes as Jenny Gifford was diagnosed with cancer.
With Fay Ripley’s character facing a pregnancy scare in the previous episode, she returned to the doctors only to be told her symptoms pointed towards cancer.
But despite breaking down in a car about the diagnosis alongside another patient, Jenny kept her devastating news a secret from friends and family.
Those watching at home praised Ripley’s performance in the scene – even if it left them reaching for the tissues.
And many got in touch with Ripley directly on Twitter to share their personal stories.
Speaking previously about the cancer storyline at a Cold Feet screening, Ripley said: “They asked me how I’d feel about it and I said I wanted it dealt with properly because of the weight of that responsibility. “And because so many people I know are affected by breast cancer and cancer in general. And that’s life at the moment.
“We have seen this story with shows but I wanted it to be real. Sometimes it’s going to be funny, sometimes it’s going to be scary. I just want it to be honest.”
And speaking of how her character was unwilling to tell others about her diagnosis, Ripley added: “[Other dramas] might show it where the character looks for support and gets the support. But this character [Jenny] doesn’t tell anybody,” she said. “She’s flawed. It’s maybe not the kindest thing for her husband. In a way it’s her way of saying, ‘I don’t know what to do, because I’ve never had cancer before’.”
Cold Feet is on Mondays at 9pm on ITV
