Sheridan Smith joked she is “sick of being single” as she issued a plea to a co-star. The 44-year-old rose to fame playing Emma Kavanagh in the Royle Family.

Emma was the first girlfriend of Ralf Little’s character Anthony Royle. After the series concluded Sheridan found herself once again starring alongside Ralf, spending eight years playing Janet Keogh in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.

She has since gone on to star in a host of television shows, including Gavin and Stacey, as well as films such as the Queen’s Corgi. Away from the screen she won Laurence Olivier Awards for her roles in Legally Blonde and Flare Path.

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She has recently starred in Alan Ayckbourn’s dark comedy Woman in Mind alongside comedian Romesh Ranganathan. And while Sheridan’s career has been a success, her love life hasn’t reached the same heights.

She dated James Corden from 2007 to 2009 before entering into a relationship with insurance broker Jamie Horn, who she shares son Billy with. Sheridan has now issued a love-life plea to Romesh.

Speaking on The Romesh Ranganathan Show, she quipped: “Can you get me a partner?”

Before adding: “Maybe you could just get me a partner? No, don’t, it’s going to sound really desperate. She’s sick of being single."

Romesh went on to joke that he should “put Sheridan’s number” on the screen for people to call. She replied: “You’re like the new Cilla Black with Blind Date.”

Sheridan is reported to have been single since 2024 when she enjoyed a romance with former boxer Dave 'Rocky' Ryan. Dave is the brother of Sheridan’s close friend Sandy Ryan.

Their romance however is said to have “fizzled out” before they went their separate ways, reports The Mirror. An insider told The Sun: “Sheridan decided to end things with Dave a few weeks ago after their romance fizzled out."

The source further disclosed that the split was friendly, adding: "Thankfully her stage show has kept her busy and there is no bad blood after they ended on good terms."

Before Dave, Sheridan was in a relationship with actor Alex Lawler. The two actors were romantically involved over two decades before, but rekindled their relationship in 2021.

Showing off the romance on social media, Sheridan said: “So pleased this fitty I dated back in the day (20 years ago) is back in my life! Life works in mysterious ways," she wrote alongside a smiling face emoji and prince emoji. She ended with: "miss you Mr L," followed by a red heart emoji.

In 2022 however the couple announced they had split for the second time. Elsewhere in her chat with Romesh, Sheridan revealed the reason she rarely appears in interviews.

She said: “I’m nervous today, being myself. Just anything where I have to be me, I get social anxiety. Very rarely do I do a lot of interviews, but it’s you [Romesh] so I feel more relaxed with you.”