CHERYL Fergison has opened up about the shocking moment she discovered her husband was having an affair.
The actress, 59, shares son Alex, 25, with first husband Jay Saddiqi and – after becoming suspicious – she turned detective to catch him in the act.
Cheryl , who shot to fame as Heather Trott in EastEnders , first felt like something was wrong when she smelt perfume on the seatbelt in his car.
Despite Jay’s pleas of innocence, Cheryl’s worst fears were convinced when she noticed a strange number on his phone bill.
It was after calling the number and being greeted by a woman’s voice that she managed to work out where the affair was taking place.
In an extract from her upcoming memoir obtained by the Mirror , Cheryl wrote: “There, perched on the dirty bed she shared with my husband, was a skinny blonde woman, sipping a bright blue WKD like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Jay stood next to her, caught in the headlights, but still silent, still unwilling to give me anything.
“Not an apology, not an explanation, not even an ounce of shame.
“That night, I packed up the car, strapped Alex into his seat and drove to London. Leaving my marriage and Jay behind.”
Cheryl and Jay divorced in 2008 after eight years of marriage.
It comes after Cheryl revealed she was left unable to walk after suffering a stroke in May.
She told the Mirror : “You lose the ability to coordinate your hands, to walk properly, your balance is gone.
“It’s frustrating and makes you angry. But I’ve started to recover; I am coming on in leaps and bounds now.”
Recalling the terrifying experience, Cheryl said: “I went to bed but couldn’t settle.
“When I got up in the night to go to the bathroom, my balance completely went and I had to stop myself from falling over. My whole right side felt numb, heavy and tingly.”
