EX-EASTENDER Elaine Lordan downs a bottle of wine in seconds — prompting fresh
fears over her health.
The former soap star, who has confessed to battling booze and depression,
drained the 375ml half-bottle in four gulps at 11.30am.
Troubled Elaine, 47, sacked as Lynne Hobbs over her drinking, has struggled to
cope with the death of her baby son.
Our exclusive snaps show her looking pale and gaunt as she buys the cheap
white wine and necks it on the street.
A witness told The Sun on Sunday: “It’s absolutely tragic. Elaine looks awful.
She is so thin and drawn — she doesn’t look at all well.
“She put the empty bottle into her coat pocket and walked up the road to put
it in the bin.”
Elaine’s life has been plagued by sorrow. She lost son James in 2005, days
after his first birthday.
He suffered from breathing difficulties caused by a condition called
diaphragmatic hernia — and died three days after Elaine married his dad,
ex-BBC technician Peter Manuel, 51.
Nine months earlier her mum Bernadette committed suicide aged 62.
‘Her friends are really worried’ Elaine fell pregnant again in 2007 but
suffered a miscarriage. A year later her father Garrett passed away aged 72.
Elaine, convicted of drink driving in 2003, played Kat Slater’s sister Lynne
for four years — but booze-related incidents led to her sacking in June
2004.
During her time on the soap she was seen falling out of pubs and clubs.
She appeared on I’m A Celebrity in 2005 — but had to be airlifted out after
twice fainting on the first day.
Last Friday Elaine left her Islington flat in North London at 11.25am, bought
the bottle of Stowells South African Chenin Blanc and drank it in 15
seconds.
A source close to the star said: “It’s heartbreaking. She was in Britain’s
biggest soap, now she can’t find acting work. Her friends are really
worried.”
Elaine declined to comment. Speaking in her dressing gown and pyjamas at
2.30pm, she said: “I’ve got nothing to say to you.” Her agent also refused
to discuss Elaine’s drinking.