EastEnders star Ricky Champ’s wife has been hospitalised after suffering complications to a pre-existing health issue.

The actor, 45, who played Stuart Highway in the BBC soap between 2018 and 2022, has been married to influencer Sammy Gilbert for nine years.

Together they share two children – a daughter named Beatrix and a son named River.

Taking to Instagram this weekend, Sammy told her followers that she was unable to see out of her eyes as a result of them being swollen.

‘What is the absolute one thing you don’t need to happen the day before you fly to Disney when you need to go shopping/pack/clean/do washing,’ she questioned.

‘Oh that’s right, wake up with your lips so swollen you can’t speak and eyes swollen shut so you’re in A&E at 7am.’

‘One of the side effects of my gallstones and liver is severe hives all over my body every single morning that go away by bedtime then I wake up and it starts all over again.

‘Something due to the toxins etc (still not considered urgent though, still been told need to wait a year + for an op).’

Sammy then shared a number of pictures of her eyes and mouth, which were clearly swollen.

Ricky left the show alongside on-screen wife Tanya Franks, who played Rainie Cross, who staged a comeback for his final scenes.

Towards the end of his time in the Square, Stuart struggled with postnatal depression following the birth of his son Roland, all the while battling breast cancer.

Stuart and Rainie reunited after a tough period in their marriage, and resolved to start afresh outside of Walford.

The duo stole a hearse from Jay and rode out of Walford in a way that only Rainie and Stuart could have, saying goodbye to their loved ones in emotional scenes.