Victoria Derbyshire thought she was going to d!e after being diagnosed with cancer (Image: ITV)

BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire was left fearing for her life after being diagnosed with cancer. 10 years on from her diagnosis, the 56-year-old reflected on her terrifying ordeal in a new interview. Victoria discovered an unusual change in her right nipple and decided to seek medical advice when she noticed her breast looked “odd”. Just days later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, despite not having a lump. Victoria recalled how the cancer had spread “all over” her breast, necessitating intensive chemotherapy and targeted radiotherapy.

At the time, Victoria confessed that she believed she “was going to d!e”. The Newsnight host underwent 301 days of treatment following her diagnosis in 2015 and was eventually given the all clear with an 11 per cent chance of the cancer returning. Marking a decade since her life-threatening diagnosis, Victoria courageously reflected on the challenging period. “I thought I was going to d!e,” she revealed to The Sunday Times magazine. In the weeks after her diagnosis, Victoria took her family on holiday as she feared it could be her final one.

“We went on holiday to Barcelona when I didn’t know if my cancer was going to be treatable,” she disclosed. Victoria admitted to taking “a million pictures” and insisted being in all of them.

The presenter initially kept her diagnosis a secret from her husband Mark and their two sons, as she went into “practical mode”. However, they plan to celebrate the significant 10-year milestone with a “big blowout” celebration.

Praising her husband for his support throughout her ordeal, Victoria said: “He did step up, big time. Obviously while I was being treated he was basically a single parent.”

Victoria lost her hair during her treatment and chose to wear a wig because she “didn’t want people to feel sorry for her”.

Victoria and Mark tied the knot in 2018 (Image: Getty)

Despite the harrowing time, Victoria’s diagnosis also brought about positive changes within the family. After being together for 17 years, Victoria and Mark decided to tie the knot. Mark had proposed to Victoria years earlier when she was pregnant with their first child, but they never set a date for the wedding.

Earlier this year, Victoria supported an NHS campaign encouraging women to attend their routine mammograms. The latest NHS data for 2023/24 revealed that only around two-thirds of women are attending their mammogram appointments.

She begged: “I thought I wouldn’t get to grow old with my partner, Mark. I’m still here thanks to the skill of the NHS, and 2025 will be 10 years since I was diagnosed. Breast screening might just help save your life. Please go.

Victoria added: “I’ve had breast screening multiple times. For me it was painless and I was happy to be screened. My motivation was to make sure any irregularities were picked up – because the earlier breast cancer is detected, the greater the chance of survival.”

Loni Anderson d3ad: The actress starred in WKRP in Cincinnati (Image: undefined)

Loni Anderson, famed for her role as a resilient receptionist at a struggling radio station in the much-loved TV comedy WKRP in Cincinnati, has tragically d!ed just days before her 80th birthday. Her long-time publicist, Cheryl J.Kagan, confirmed that Anderson d1ed in a Los Angeles hospital following a “prolonged” illness. “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother,” stated Anderson’s family. Anderson, a significant presence on CBS, was formerly married to actor Burt Reynolds. Anderson rose to fame portraying Jennifer on WKRP in Cincinnati, a CBS sitcom that aired from 1978 to 1982. The show, centred around an Ohio radio station transitioning from easy listening to rock ‘n’ roll, became a sensation partly due to Anderson’s memorable performance.

The cast included Gary Sandy, Howard Hesseman, Tim Reid, Frank Bonner, and Jan Smithers, according to Mirror US. Anderson’s contribution to the series earned her two Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations, cementing her status as a pop culture icon of the late 1970s and early ’80s.

Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson were previously married (Image: Getty)

Among those paying tribute to the star was fellow actress Barbara Eden. The I Dream of Jeannie star shared a heartfelt post on Twitter/X, stating: “Like many, I am absolutely stunned and heartbroken. Our friendship has spanned many years, and news like this is never easy to hear or accept.”

She continued: “She was a real talent, with razor smart wit and a glowing sense of humor… but, even more than that, she had an impeccable work ethic. Even beyond that, Loni was a darling lady and a genuinely good person … I am truly at a loss for words.”

She concluded by stating: “Loni, you were one in a trillion, my friend, and even a trillion more. -Barbara.”

Anderson’s colleague Morgan Fairchild, who appeared with her in the 2023 Lifetime production, Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas, remarked: “#OnMyWalk to memories of lovely Loni Anderson, one of the genuinely nicest ladies I’ve ever worked with, on set of our Christmas movie with Donna Mills. We had so much fun on this! She will be greatly missed!”.

Loni Anderson d3ad: The actress d!ed aged 79 (Image: GETTY)

Beyond her professional career, Anderson became a tabloid sensation following her union with Burt Reynolds in 1988.

The duo had previously collaborated in the 1983 racing comedy Stroker Ace, though it was their off-screen relationship, and eventual divorce in 1994, that kept her firmly in the public eye.

In 1995, she published her memoir, My Life in High Heels, which she characterised as a story of resilience.

“It’s about the growth of a woman, a woman who survives,” she told The Associated Press at that time.