Soap star reveals she's been rushed to A&E with mystery illness as she shares snap from hospital and tells fans she 'needs to feel well again'

A soap star has revealed that she's been rushed to A&E with a mystery illness as she shared a snap from hospital. 

Brookside's Jennifer Ellison took to her Instagram Story on Wednesday and posted an image of a drip in her arm.

She penned in the caption: 'The gift that keeps on giving,' followed by a sad face. 

The actress then added: 'Need to feel well again', but didn't further explain what had happened. 

Jennifer is best known for playing Emily Shadwick in the television soap opera Brookside until 2003, and as Meg Giry in the 2004 film adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera 

A representative for Jennifer has been contacted by MailOnline for further comment. 

Jennifer soared to fame on Brookside in 1998, on which she played Emily Shadwick until 2003. During this stint she became a lads' mag favourite, as she would frequently pose in scanty ensembles and stunned the red carpet with her figure.

She shares her three kids Bobby, Harrison, and Charlie with husband Rob Tickle, who she wed in October 2009. 

Last year Jennifer revealed she's stopped dieting and is finally 'confident' with her body.

She said her weight had gone up and down 'so much' over the years but she is now 'happy' with her weight of just over 10 stone.

She told Closer Magazine: 'I'm not the smallest I've ever been, but am at a happy weight where I feel OK getting into a bikini or a costume in the swimming pool. I'm in a happy and confident place.

'I am about 10¾st at the moment. I don't feel I'm in that rat race anymore of having to look amazing. I've stopped trying to diet. 

'When you do faddy diets they don't work, so I've given up. My weight has gone up and down so much over the years so I just try to eat healthily now.'

Jennifer told the publication about losing her confidence after gradually gaining weight and going up to a size 18. 

She recalled: 'My agent would phone me up, and the thought of going for an audition... I would refuse. I'd say 'I can't do it'. 

'I had lost my confidence. I had literally given up on myself'.

The year before Jennifer revealed she had 'given up' on herself before doing Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins last year.

She said: 'I'd given up on myself. I never looked in the mirror.

'I didn't think I could ever go back on stage because no one would want me. I had gone from being this girl known for acting and men's mags to becoming this mum and teacher.