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Tracy Beaker star Dani Harmer felt like 'different person' in 'out of control' health updateThe BBC star revealed last month that she was diagnosed with perimenopauseNewsLiam De Brun TV and

Celebrity writer15:28, 03 Jun 2025The actress spoke about her health on This Morning(Image: ITV) Tracy Beaker star Dani Harmer has admitted that she felt like a ‘different person’ and her

symptoms were ‘out of control’ in a candid health update.

The 36-year-old rose to fame in the titular role in BBC children’s show Tracy Beaker, playing the role on and off between 2002 and 2023.

‌ Dani opened up to her fans on social media last month about being diagnosed by medics with perimenopause .

‌ According to the NHS, perimenopause is when you have symptoms of menopause but your periods have not stopped. Perimenopause ends and you reach menopause when you have not had a period for

12 months.

Appearing on Tuesday’s (June 3) edition of This Morning, Dani spoke to Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley about why she decided to share her news.

“I just wanted to be open about it, obviously I am on the younger side of it. Even though I think it's rare, I don't think it's that uncommon, especially looking through my comments.

Article continues below “I just wanted to be open about it, actually, I had quite a good experience with my GP. I wanted to make people aware, going to the GP can really, really help. I was

having such awful symptoms,” she said.

Dani played Tracy Beaker between 2002 and 2023(Image: ITV) The mum-of-two added: “And I really needed help with it. I was literally like a different person. To be honest it wasn't long after

I'd had my son.

‌ “I wasn't really sure if it was a case of the baby blues, and hormones for sure. I was like a different person.

“It was almost like I was watching myself in a weird way. I'd always suffered with depression and anxiety, but this was on a different level. The mood swings were out of control.”

With Cat telling viewers that it was Dani’s partner Simon Brough who noticed her symptoms, Ben asked how their conversation about her health went.

‌ Dani recalled: “It went down alright. My partner is quite tactful. He was like ‘you're being a little agitated by my breathing. Is everything alright’. It really wasn't like me, I am

normally quite laid back.

“I'm normally a chilled person. My sleep was all over the place, I'm normally a good 10 hour kind of girl and hot sweats, they are absolutely rank. That was not pleasant. It's not great.”

Explaining how Perimenopause has affected her work, Dani said that brain fog 'when you're an actor is really really not ideal’.

Article continues below “The worst was doing panto, I was playing the fairy, you're on your own as a fairy doing monologues, doing blank on stage and asking your MD for your lines is not

ideal. Luckily you can kind of shrug it off," she said.

Dani continued: “My hair is my identity, it's almost what I'm known for. To be losing it, I'm not a vain person at all.

“This is it improved, I'm taking supplements and gummies and oiling my hair. I'm having bald patches, it's started to affect my self esteem. I come across very confident but behind closed

doors, it's taken its toll for sure."