Overview

• Aikman endured years of painful, undiagnosed symptoms before receiving a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, a chronic autoimmune condition affecting the colon.
• She was once advised to give up acting after her health deteriorated, but a homeopath later traced her flare-ups to stress during breaks between roles.
• She now manages her condition with regular exercise, dietary changes and reduced alcohol intake, crediting her husband Matt Kennard for helping sustain her wellbeing.
• Away from the screen, Aikman has trained as a counsellor with the mental health text service Shout, providing support to people in crisis.
• Despite her health challenges, she is currently starring in BBC’s This City Is Ours and Disney+’s Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.