Martine McCutcheon shared a frank health update on Sunday after enjoying a rare night out with her husband Jack McManus.
Taking to Instagram, the 47-year-old actress posted a radiant photograph of herself wearing a glitzy silver 1920s vintage gown complete with embroidered green flowers, a plunging neckline and a daring split.
Martine finished off her Gatsby-inspired ensemble with a fluffy white shawl, silver heels, a glittering floral headpiece and a cigarette holder.
Her husband, Jack, meanwhile, looked particularly dapper in a black and white three-piece suit.
© InstagramIn her caption, Martine spoke candidly about her struggles with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia – a condition which causes widespread pain and extreme tiredness.
She penned: "What A GREAT Gatsby Night to remember! I haven't been out for a night like this in a long, LONG time due to many reasons - But mainly managing my CFS & Fibro.
"I was a bit nervous but I knew I was having a 'Good couple of days' and that I would pace it so I could have the best night! It was SO good for the soul! As you know I LOVE an outfit and I adore getting all dressed up with my music on!"
Heaping praise on her husband, Martine went on to say: "@jackmcmanus1 I love you darling: Thanks for being by [my] side for everything and for being you."
Martine's fans flooded the comments section with messages of support. One follower wrote: "You look amazing. I love how honest you are about your illnesses, I have the same and nights like that are good for the soul," while a second chimed in: "Utterly gorgeous [red heart] So delighted you had such a great time."
© GettyA third added: "Wow [flame emoji] you always look fabulous and your honesty about your condition is so refreshing, raising awareness is key to others who are less understanding!!" and a fourth penned: "From one fibro sufferer to another, you look amazing!"
This isn't the first time Martine has spoken candidly about her health struggles. Back in December 2021, the star spoke exclusively to HELLO! magazine about how she's learnt to cope with the debilitating side effects of her illnesses.
© Instagram"I'm coping really well, like a lot of people out there, my disease is invisible and it can make you feel unsupported or misunderstood," she said.
"It can make you tired and it can be unpredictable, which I hate as I love routine and being reliable. But in a way, I look at it as my friend now rather than my foe."
© InstagramThe former EastEnders actress added: "I look at it that when I get symptoms or when my body starts clanging, it's a sign for me to pace myself, rest. And I think it gives me that when somebody else would just logically think, 'Oh, I need to just take a rest', mentally, I don't do that, so my body does it for me. So, yeah, I've definitely learned to look at it as a good messenger rather than something that simply gets in the way.
"And it's something that, be it diabetes, Crohn's disease, mental health, it's something that you manage, and it's something that you don't expect to be perfect every day. And I think when you realise that and you accept, acceptance is a big thing, it doesn't mean that you give up. Acceptance just means that you live your life with it rather than fighting against it."
