Holly Willoughby and Julia Bradbury break down in tears over TV star’s breast cancer battle
Holly Willoughby and Julia Bradbury break down in tears over TV star’s breast cancer battle as she reveals heartbreaking moment children asked her if her disease is ‘contagious’
The TV presenter, 51, announced that she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2021, and underwent a double mastectomy a month later She is appearing in the documentary Julia Bradbury: Breast Cancer And Me, which airs Thursday night Julia is mother to Zephyr, 10, and twins Zena and Xanthe, seven, and said: ‘Telling your children you have cancer is the hardest thing you will ever have to do’ A clip from the documentary of Julia speaking about her breasts to her children played out and a tearful Holly said: ‘That got me’
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Holly Willoughby and Julia Bradbury were moved to tears on Thursday’s episode of This Morning as they discussed Julia telling her children about her breast cancer.
The TV presenter, 51, announced that she’d been diagnosed with cancer in September 2021 and is now appearing in the documentary Julia Bradbury: Breast Cancer And Me about battling the illness.
The Countryfile star, who had a double mastectomy in October, told how difficult it was to tell her children Zephyr, 10, and twins Zena and Xanthe, seven, about her cancer battle, with one asking her if the disease is ‘contagious’.
Emotional: Holly Willoughby and Julia Bradbury were moved to tears on Thursday’s episode of This Morning as they discussed Julia telling her children about her breast cancer
She said: ‘Telling your children you have cancer is the hardest thing you will ever have to do in your life you have to be realistic but protect them and I don’t think any parent knows what to do.
‘One of my children said, “Can I still hug you?” and the other said, “Is it contagious?” I never thought about either of those two things.
‘You just don’t know what’s going through their mind. You do your best, but it’s a very difficult thing to navigate.’
A clip from the documentary of Julia speaking about her breasts and the journey she’s been on with them to her children played out and a tearful Holly said: ‘That got me.’
Health: The TV presenter, 51, announced that she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2021, and underwent a double mastectomy a month later and is now appearing in the documentary Julia Bradbury: Breast Cancer And Me
Family: The Countryfile star appeared on Thursday’s episode of the ITV show and told how difficult it was to tell her children Zephyr, 10, and twins Zena and Xanthe, seven, about her cancer battle, with one asking her if the disease is ‘contagious’
Julia added her kids have been ‘amazing’, saying: ‘They’ve made friends with my new boob! They say, “Mummy, it doesn’t feel the same” and I say, “No it doesn’t, but I’m here and that’s what it’s done.”‘
Julia also explained she didn’t tell her mum the diagnosis until she knew herself what the plans were for treatment, because she knew she would worry so much.
She said: ‘My mum is a Greek-living. gorgeous, warm parent who tries to protect us to this day.
‘I have to phone her when I get somewhere I knew if I told her she would want to know what was happening next she would want to move in with me, I knew it would be a huge worry for her at that stage.’
Julia encourages women to get themselves checked if they find a lump or notice a change in their body.
Julia said: ‘Telling your children you have cancer is the hardest thing you will ever have to do in your life you have to be realistic but protect them and I don’t think any parent knows what to do’
She added: ‘One of my children said, “Can I still hug you?” and the other said, “Is it contagious?” I never thought about either of those two things’
Interview: Julia added her kids have been ‘amazing’, saying: ‘They’ve made friends with my new boob!’
Message: Julia encourages women to get themselves checked if they find a lump or notice a change in their body
She said: ‘I’ve been honest about the discovery of my lump from the very beginning because I’ve always been a campaigner for cancer.
‘My mother had cancer, my father had cancer, so I’ve been an ambassador for several cancer charities throughout my career and ironically I am an ambassador for ovarian cancer in the UK.’
She added: ‘But when I did discover the lump, I was very open about having mammograms and encouraging women to go to the doctor if you find something – trust your instincts and I even posted a picture on my social media accounts of me having a mammogram. It was just a natural progression from that.
‘I even posted a picture of me having my mammogram and it was just a natural progression for that, it just seemed like the right thing to do.
‘I know that by being open for this people know I am there with them and it has broken down some stigma by talking about it.’
Style: Julia looked sensational for her appearance as she donned a brown knee-length dress
Outfit: The garment feature a red stiped detail while Julia also wore a silver peace necklace
Radiant: Holly donned a pink long-sleeved midi dress with a pleatd hemline on Thursday’s episode of the daytime show
Julia admitted she often thinks about ‘five-year terms’ since her diagnosis.
She said: ‘It’s completely unbelievable until you’re in that situation you don’t know how you’re going to react. You immediately think about death…there are very few people who live through a cancer diagnosis and never think about it again.
‘You think about five-year terms, when you talk about survival rates that’s what you’re talking about…what about living with the reality of cancer which is you will never be able to forget it.
It comes after Julia filmed herself hugging a tree and posted the ‘beautiful’ evidence from a recent Mauritius getaway to Instagram on Wednesday, amid her battle with breast cancer.
The presenter embraced a ‘special’ 100-year-old Ebony while gushing about its ‘finely mirrored texture’ and which makes for a ‘special landscape’.
Battle: The Countryfile presenter announced that she been diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2021 and underwent a double mastectomy a month later
Candid: Julia recently revealed that the risk of her cancer is returning is higher than average and detailed her experience learning to love her body after a mastectomy
Going make-up free, she tied her brown tresses into a tousled ponytail and wore a black top as she addressed her fans on the social media network.
She said: ‘So this is a famous black Ebony tree and this one is about 100 years old, very very special. Of course I’m gonna give it a hug. Yes, tree love.’
In her caption, the Countryfile host penned: ‘Have you hugged a tree this week?!
‘Throw back to our hols ..trekking through the beautiful @belombrenaturereserve in #mauritius. I couldn’t pass by this beautiful black ebony tree without having a moment.
‘Feel so grateful to have walked through such a special landscape. Ebony wood is so dense it sinks in water.
‘It’s finely mirrored texture when it’s polished, makes it a prized ornamental wood, but it couldn’t look any more beautiful than growing in the soil.
‘#trees #lovetrees #hugatree #nature #flora #fauna #mauritius #naturereserve #hiking #landscapes #preservation.’
Inspired: It comes after Julia filmed herself hugging a tree and posted the ‘beautiful’ evidence from a recent Mauritius getaway to Instagram on Wednesday, amid her battle with breast cancer
Julia recently said she was unsure whether she would ever travel or wear a bikini again following her breast cancer diagnosis.
She spoke to Hello! magazine from Mauritius where she was on holiday with her partner Gerry and their children.,
She said: ‘I have this feeling of embracing everything now, grabbing everything that life has to offer with open arms.
‘I wasn’t sure that I would ever travel again – and certainly wasn’t sure whether I’d wear a bikini ever again.’
Julia added she had always appreciated the ‘healing power of nature’ and did so even more now.
‘I’m still at the acute end of coming through my diagnosis and coming to terms with everything, so life is very heightened,’ she said.
‘The skies are a deeper shade of blue, the patterns of nature are more striking than usual. I’m taking it all in.’
Honest: Julia recently said she was unsure whether she would ever travel or wear a bikini again following her breast cancer diagnosis
The broadcaster said she was using her illness as an opportunity to ‘reset’ her emotional and physical health and now practises meditation and gratitude every day, sleeps at least eight hours each night and has cut out almost all alcohol.
She added: ‘It will be a long time before you find me dancing on tables again – and I love dancing on tables.’
Julia also told how she had promised at the beginning of the holiday to agree to any of her children’s requests, from swimming to trekking or eating ice cream but only one a day.
She added: ‘They are this size for such a short time: you blink and they’re gone.
‘I want to enjoy every one of those moments and they’re even more magnified and precious now.’
It comes after Julia wore a bikini for the first time since undergoing the procedure, as she holidayed in Mauritius, and admitted she feels ‘fortunate’ to have had immediate breast reconstruction.
The TV personality took to Instagram where she shared a gorgeous shot of herself in a blue bikini and beach cover-up in matching print, while relaxing in the sunshine.
Back in a bikini! On Friday, Julia wore a bikini for the first time since undergoing a double mastectomy in October, as she holidayed in Mauritius
Grateful: The TV personality wrote alongside the photograph, that she feels ‘fortunate’ to have had immediate breast reconstruction
Julia penned: ‘I had no idea what life after a #mastectomy would be like. I feel incredibly grateful that some things have gone my way during my #breastcancer diagnosis. Each of our stories is different…
‘I was fortunate to be able to have immediate recon after my breast was removed containing a 6cm tumour.
‘Nothing prepares you for the shock & impact…& yet but here I am in a bikini again. Didn’t think this would happen.
‘Wearing wraps helps too. Of course it’s @melissaodabash!! Thanks @gaylerinkoff for finding me new. #gratitude #breastcancer #recovery #bikini #mauritius.’
Her holiday snap comes after Julia revealed that the risk of her cancer is returning is higher than average and detailed her experience learning to love her body after a mastectomy in a candid chat.
Six months after undergoing her surgery, the presenter is now having to come to terms with the knowledge that she does not yet have the ‘all clear’ from doctors.
Deeper dive: Read the full interview in Hello! magazine, out now
Julia revealed to You magazine that she has ‘micro-invasions’ – tiny fragments of cancerous cells which have leached out of her milk duct and into her breast tissue.
Furthermore, genetic testing has shown that she has a higher than average risk of her cancer coming back.
She explained: ‘I’m in the top five or six per cent of women in the country in terms of the likelihood of recurrence.
‘That puts me in the ‘moderate risk’ category – higher than the average woman – but, look, it’s about percentages and perspectives.
‘The doctors have not found a huge spread of an aggressive cancer. I have lost my breast but been able to have an implant and keep my own nipple.
‘I feel lucky and grateful every single day, and I have to learn to live with this risk, to accept the fragility of life, without it consuming me.’
Read the full interview in Hello! magazine, out now.
