The actor played Sylver McQueen in Hollyoaks, and has now revealed a health condition he was hiding on set.

Hollyoaks actor David Tag has opened up about a health condition he kept under wraps while filming for the soap.

The 40-year-old, who portrayed Sylver McQueen on the Channel 4 drama from June 2018 to January 2022, was secretly battling varicose veins behind the scenes.

During an appearance on Friday’s This Morning with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, David disclosed that a small vein had started to become more noticeable over a decade ago.

“Like a lot of lads do, you just ignore it and hope it goes away, but it just got progressively worse and worse,” he shared.

He added: “When it got hot or when it got cold it was painful, and to touch it was quite sensitive,” reports the Mirror.

David confessed that the condition particularly affected him when playing with his children and during gym workouts.

READ MORE: BBC Wimbledon fans issue the same complaint as coverage ‘cut off’ minutes inREAD MORE: Coronation Street fans baffled by ‘missing’ character as new couple heat up

Reflecting on his time on set, David said: “A lot of the times I would take my clothes off for certain scenes, and I would try and hide it.

“I wanted to do the scenes so I would just position myself in a certain way so they couldn’t see it,” he continued, admitting he felt “a little bit embarrassed of it”.

David sought medical help after realising the issue “wouldn’t go away,” and as the vein grew larger, he decided: “This is getting out of hand; I need to get it sorted.”

The star underwent a procedure involving lasers on both legs, which resulted in him having to wear stocking-like garments and refrain from training for a week.

“Now, you wouldn’t even be able to tell it was there,” he revealed, adding that his confidence has since improved.

According to the NHS, varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that appear just under the skin. They’re common and usually not serious, but treatments are available if they cause discomfort.

Varicose veins can sometimes lead to other symptoms such as pain, aching, a feeling of heaviness, skin changes, or swollen legs. The NHS points out that these symptoms can worsen after standing for extended periods.

Treatment isn’t always necessary, but GPs can refer patients to specialists who can devise treatment plans that may include surgery, compression stockings, and procedures to block blood flow in the veins.

David was part of the Hollyoaks cast from 2018, portraying Sylver, Goldie McQueen’s (Chelsee Healey) brother.

His storylines involved finding out he was adopted and his marriage to Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe). He exited the soap in 2022 when his stepson Bobby Costello (Jayden Fox) killed off his character.

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.