Martine McCutcheon admitted she is finding it tough to even get out of bed after the death of her younger brother, two years before her devastating marriage split

Martine McCutcheon opened up about her struggle with grief, confessing that some days she found it hard to even leave her bed after the tragic loss of her younger brother. In October 2022, the 48 year old actress shared the devastating news that her brother Laurence John (LJ) McCutcheon had passed away at the age of 31, and she paid a heartfelt tribute to him on Instagram.

Martine then took to Instagram again, expressing that her grief “hurts like hell” as she reflected on her loss. She had previously posted a touching poem about embracing life. In a candid post, the Love Actually star spoke about dealing with sorrow and encouraged her followers to “keep going” despite tough times.

Starting her message with a snapshot from an outing in Hertfordshire where she met friends, the former EastEnders star admitted she initially wanted to keep things “vague” but decided to share her true feelings because she believes her fans “appreciate [her] honesty”, reports the Mirror. She penned: “Life isn’t all optimism and love of life generally! Let’s face it, life can be complicated, sad, fragile and can be a rollercoaster ride.”

“Grief isn’t pretty. It hurts like hell and makes you question so many things you felt certain of. Just getting up to do normal things can be so tough. Some days I manage, some days I don’t.”

Martine shared a powerful message with her fans, saying: “So for any of you going through it, I salute you! But you have to keep being kind to yourself, be kind to your loved ones, keep going when you can and rest when you can as its traumatic.”

The star, known for her role on EastEnders, reminded her social media followers to appreciate what they have and celebrate even the small victories: “Be proud of the small wins too. For various reasons, today was especially tough, but It was wonderful to see some old friends for some much needed hugs, some honest conversation and a glass of bubbles,” she penned.

In her heartfelt post, Martine encouraged everyone to “make new memories when you can,” adding that it helps to “balance things out in time”. Earlier this year she shared a heartbreaking tribute to him.

When Martine announced the sudden passing of her brother LJ, she stated there was “no medical explanation” found and that further investigations would take place. She paid tribute to him, calling him a “gentle giant” with a “huge heart”, and shared that he would have wanted her to “keep on keeping on” and was “proud” of her ability to spread happiness.

Earlier this week, the actress shared news of her devastating split from her husband of 18 years, Jack McManus, saying it was his decision to separate. She wrote in a statement on Instagram: “After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it’s best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision. We are both so very blessed and grateful for our beautiful, 9 year old son Rafferty, who’s happiness and welfare, has always been, and will continue to be, our number 1 priority.”