Jacqueline Jossa opens up on difficult health battle she has been treated for since age 17

EastEnders star Jacqueline Jossa opened up about her 14-year battle with anxiety.

The 31-year-oldactress, who resumed her role as Lauren Branning this year,,has praised therapy for helping her get through challenging moments in her life.

She said: ‘I’ve had it since I was 17. You want someone to talk to . . . so I’ve always been really open to it and it’s always been part of my life. I dip in and out of it whenever I need to.’

Speaking about her anxiety, she added to The Sun: ‘Sometimes I’ll be in my bath and think, ‘Isn’t it crazy that I’m in a bath, in a bathroom, in a house, on a street, in a town, in a city, in a country, with water around me then I’m on a planet and then I’m in a galaxy.

‘And I realise that I’m just a dot on this planet and there’s so much more and that always brings me back down. It just makes me think, ‘This too shall pass, you’re going to be OK.’

Lauren originally left the Square back in 2018 with Louie after sister Abi’s death, to start a new life in New Zealand, where her on-off boyfriend Peter Beale (Thomas Law) lived.

Lauren did return for her grandma Dot Cotton’s funeral back in December 2022, and we saw her earlier this year when she discovered Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) was alive and living in France with Peter and his dad Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt).

Following her showdown with Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), Lauren wonders whether to go to Exeter when Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell) arrives to plead Peter’s case. His words give Lauren pause for thought and she agrees to stay for a while, and to let Peter see Louie.

Viewers recently discovered that Lauren’s arrest was all down to cousin Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine), who had been the ones to plant the drugs on her in the first place.