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25th Oct 2021

Radio 1 DJ and I’m A Celeb star Adele Roberts diagnosed with cancer aged 42

Charlie Herbert

The Radio 1 host will undergo surgery on Monday

Adele Roberts, the host of the Weekend Breakfast show on Radio 1 and star of Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity, has revealed that she has bowel cancer.

Roberts, 42, revealed in an Instagram post on Sunday evening (October 24) that she was diagnosed with the disease at the start of the month having sought medical advice after struggling with her digestion “for a while.”

Alongside a picture of her in a hospital gown giving a thumbs up, she wrote: “Ok, there’s no easy way to do this and it feels weird, especially posting on social media (I’m going full Black Mirror) but I’m hoping it’ll reach anyone who might benefit from seeing it or reading it.

“For a while now I’ve been struggling with my digestion. Thanks to a conversation I had with my Dad a few years back I went to my GP for a check up.

“I’ll be honest, I was embarrassed but I also knew that it could be something serious. So I went just in case. I didn’t think anything of it at first and just assumed it might be food sensitivity.

“After a few phone calls I was sent for some examinations and checks. I was then diagnosed with bowel cancer. This was at the start of the month.”

In the post, she goes onto call the NHS “incredible,” adding that she is having surgery to remove the tumour on Monday, describing the outlook as “positive.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVa8V8nomIb/?utm_source=ig_embed

In a statement, Radio 1 said: “Our love and support is with Adele, Kate and their families at this very difficult time.

“Everyone at Radio 1, along with millions of listeners, wishes her a speedy recovery and we look forward to welcoming Adele back on air soon.”

Her girlfriend, actress Kate Holderness, wrote an emotional post on Sunday evening, calling the DJ “my hero, my world, my love.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVa-SUVIUK3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Commenting on her post, the likes of Clara Amfo, Scott Mills and Sara Cox all sent messages of support.

Greg James tweeted that the news has “absolutely floored us all” but that everyone will “do as Adele Roberts would and rally round, stay positive and send her all our love,”

Roberts joined the BBC in 2012 as part of the Radio 1Xtra team, after rising to fame on the 2002 series of Big Brother.

In 2015 she then moved to Radio 1, hosting the early breakfast show, and earlier this year took over the weekend breakfast slot.

She appeared on the 2019 series of I’m A Celebrity and was the first person to be eliminated from the jungle.

For more information about bowel cancer and its symptoms, visit the NHS website or Bowel Cancer UK.

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