Actress Alex Kingston has disclosed that she secretly fought uterine cancer throughout 2024, undergoing extensive treatment that concluded late last year.
The 62-year-old television star, currently competing on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, spoke publicly about her health battle for the first time in an interview on Friday.
"I had a major operation," Ms Kingston revealed, adding: "I had to have a hysterectomy, I had to go into radiation therapy, and that took up a huge part of my life."
The Doctor Who and ER actress revealed that her diagnosis came as a complete shock, particularly given her typically optimistic outlook.
Alex Kingston has been partnered with Johannes Radebe on Strictly
|BBC
Medical tests showed the cancer was located in her fallopian tubes but fortunately had not spread to her ovaries, according to the actress.
Ms Kingston had endured symptoms including bloating and persistent aches for years, initially attributing them to natural ageing.
"I had assumed that the way I was feeling was old age, and I just sort of accepted it," she explained to The Independent.
"I thought, 'OK, this is what it's like to be in my sixties.' But a lot of how I was feeling was to do with my illness."
Alex Kingston shared the health news on Friday
|BBC
The situation reached a crisis point during a performance at Chichester Festival Theatre last summer. Kingston suffered a haemorrhage whilst on stage during The Other Boleyn Girl, which ran in April and May 2024.
"That night on stage, I haemorrhaged," she recounted. "That was really shocking."
Despite the emergency, she completed the performance, later crediting the wardrobe team for their swift assistance with emergency supplies.
Kingston postponed medical investigations until after completing her theatrical run, eventually receiving her diagnosis and beginning treatment.
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"Despite having gone through all of that - and any cancer is really tough to accept, to steel yourself to go through all of the necessary procedures to get back into health - the minute I had the operation, I suddenly felt like myself again," she revealed.
The actress emphasised that she hadn't experienced such wellbeing for years prior to the surgery.
Her cancer journey directly influenced her decision to join Strictly Come Dancing, embracing the philosophy that "life is too short" to miss desired opportunities.
Kingston currently feels "like Superwoman" and has impressed judges alongside professional partner Johannes Radebe, topping last week's leaderboard with their samba performance.
Ms Kingston urged women to heed their bodies' warning signals and seek medical advice promptly.
"Womb cancer is really tricky because it is so sneaky," she cautioned. "What I would say is, the body does know - and that was the body saying to me, 'Help! There's something really wrong.' It's so important to seek advice and have a check-up."
Alex Kingston revealed she's in recovery following a cancer diagnosis last year
|BBC
The actress revealed that fellow Strictly contestant Amy Dowden, who underwent her own cancer treatment, was amongst the first people she confided in about her experience.
Former Doctor Who colleagues including Matt Smith, Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat have sent supportive messages, whilst her ER co-star Laura Innes plans to attend a live show.