Sheridan Smith has revealed her humiliation by Graham Norton at the 2016 BAFTA Awards caused her "unbelievable distress".

Three years ago, the actress found herself in a downward spiral after her dad was diagnosed with cancer, battling a series of mental health problems.

Her personal issues later prompted Smith, 37, to pull out of her role in a West End production of Funny Girl.

Her departure came after a series of mishaps, including forgotten lines and allegations she was drunk onstage.

She'd always denied claims of boozing at work, but Smith's onstage issues in the show prompted Norton to make a joke about her at the glitzy BAFTAs that year.

He said: "We’re all excited for a couple of drinks tonight.

"Or, as it’s known in theatrical circles, a few glasses of technical difficulties."

She has now opened up about the horrific period of her life and insisted Norton's gag about her at the event hurt her badly.

Smith told Stella magazine: "That tipped me over the edge. I just lost it

" I was in unbelievable distress, trying to keep it all together and then a room full of people in my industry were just laughing at me…"

The joke prompted her to respond on social media by posting a series of sweary tweets, and the actress says the devastating moment pushed her over the edge.

She added: "Honestly, I don’t remember [the tweets]. Drink. Desperation. Humiliation. I fell over the edge."

When asked if there was anyone there to help her, she shook her head.

Smith's dad died later that year.

When asked about her mental health troubles, she revealed her dad's illness left her struggling to cope.

She explained: "I couldn’t cope. I’d been to see specialists about stress and anxiety. I didn’t know what was happening to me.

"One doctor said I was bipolar, another said I was suffering from extreme anxiety disorder.

"All I knew was that the man I loved most in the world was in a hospital bed and I just wanted to be with him."

Smith has since got her life and career back on track, starring in a series of critically-acclaimed TV dramas and getting engaged to her insurance broker boyfriend Jamie Horn.

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