Dame Julie Walters Reveals Heartbreaking Moment She Told Her Husband Of Cancer Diagnosis

Dame Julie Walters has revealed she was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer just 18 months ago - but has now been given the all-clear.

The actress sat down with Victoria Derbyshire and recalled the moment she told her husband of the news, explaining at first she thought doctors must have been mistaken.

The Secret Garden actress told BBC's Victoria how she had visited her doctor following indigestion and discomfort one year earlier, but returned after suffering with stomach pain and vomiting.

Recalling how she was then given a referral to a gastric surgeon as well as a CT scan, the 69-year-old explained: "[The doctor] said, 'sit down'. I said, 'yeah, what's up?'

"And he said, 'we've found an abnormality in your intestine'. I said, 'right, what is it?" He said, 'well, I'm worried it's cancer'."

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Julie explained how she returned to her husband, Grant Roffey, who was waiting in the car.

"So I came out and then Grant was waiting in the car because he'd taken me," she continued.

"I said, 'they're worried it's cancer'. I'll never forget his face. And tears came into his eyes. And I thought, 'oh Grant!' So then I worried about him."

The Mama Mia star explained she was in total shock at the news, adding that she tried to look for the positives.

"You hold onto the positive which was he [the doctor] said, 'we can fix this'."

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Following the news, Dame Julie explained she had surgery - with "30cm taken out of [her] colon" as well as chemotherapy.

Explaining that she's now doing "really well" she added: "I've just had a scan, and I know that [I'm] clear."

Julie decided to keep the diagnosis secret and was required to skip certain work events, including the Mama Mia 2 premiere as well as some filming for The Secret Garden.

She told Victoria how the diagnosis has changed her attitude to work.

"I'm not saying I'll never act again. But I certainly don't think I can go back to [working] six days a week, five in the morning till seven o'clock at night," she explained.

We're so pleased you have the all clear, Julie. For more information and advice on bowel cancer, visit Bowel Cancer UK.

Topics: News, Celebrity News

Lucy Devine

Lucy is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, she has worked in both print and online and is particularly interested in fashion, food, health and women's issues. Northerner, coffee addict, says hun a lot. Get in touch at [email protected].

@lucedevine