EE: I'm staying in my council flat

[Skylace]

EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison has vowed that she will never leave her council estate home.

Despite being paid well for her role as Heather Peterson on the BBC One soap, the actress has admitted that she would never apply for a mortgage because she is too concerned about getting into debt.

"I still live on a council estate in south-east London. I grew up there and I don't really want to move away," Cheryl told The People. "I'm a real local girl. My son likes it there and so does my husband. We're normal, but the real reason is that I don't want to get a mortgage.

"This industry is so up and down that I don't want to get in financial trouble. I have managed to pay off all of my debts so now I don't want to get into any more."

The 44-year-old actress recently revealed that she doesn't mind the 'sizeist' jibes which are directed towards her soap character.

[eefanincan]

It's nice to see that she's not letting fame and fortune go to her head. But I'm not sure how it works in the UK...... are "council" homes only given to people on limited incomes? Do you have to apply for it? Would she be taking away a home from someone with a more limited income? I've always wondered how that worked--- it's much different here.

[faceless]

There's no reason for her to have to move on and there are plenty of empty houses in London, but morally it's taking the piss if she's in such a well-paid job. She could buy the house she's in if she wanted to stay though.

[eefanincan]

There's no reason for her to have to move on and there are plenty of empty houses in London, but morally it's taking the piss if she's in such a well-paid job. She could buy the house she's in if she wanted to stay though.

That's kind of what I wondered... seems like she's getting a subsidy when she doesn't really need it.