Dancing on Ice Adele Roberts’ health battles – cancer, TV first and weight loss

She first rose to fame in 2002 as a contestant on the third series of Big Brother, where she finished in seventh place.

Since then, Adele Roberts has gone from strength to strength, landing her own BBC radio show, becoming a well-respected DJ as well as a broadcaster over the past 22 years. Most recently, the broadcaster wowed viewers with her impressive skating moves on Dancing on Ice.

The journalist, from Southport, Merseyside, made TV history as the first ITV contestant to take to the ice with a stoma bag. When she signed up to the reality show, she vowed to “reclaim her body” after surviving colon cancer.

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Now, as the TV personality continues to impress the star-studded judges with her incredible work, Daily Star has taken a deep dive inside her health battle.

Before the diagnosis

The broadcaster was diagnosed with bowel cancer back in October 2021, before she underwent treatment later than month. The reality star later revealed that the cancer was growing inside her for 10 years prior to her diagnosis.

Back in 2022, the star took to her Instagram to detail how the illness developed after previously being “clinically obese” with a “poor diet.” She told her supportive fans: “I was told it took about 10 years for my bowel cancer to grow.

“I didn’t start getting healthier until around 2016 (when I did a documentary for Radio 1). Before that I had a poor diet and was clinically obese. So my main message is take care of yourselves and try and have balance in your life [heart emoji].

“I truly believe my new lifestyles have helped me recover quickly from surgery and deal with the chemotherapy.” Adele went on a very public weight loss regime and shed an impressive two stone before she took part on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here back in 2019.

In an old video on her YouTube channel, the journalist said she went from “eating cake every day” to giving up sugar entirely. She said she “woke the f**k up” and changed her life after she reached 12 and a half stone in 2017.

Warning signs

She revealed that she started to notice that her digestion was off when she came out of the jungle. Recalling the first warning signs on Good Morning Britain, she said: “My digestion started to get a bit funny – after what we ate in the jungle I wasn’t surprised.

“I noticed when I went to the toilet things like mucus and then blood. I didn’t know whether to call the doctor because of Covid I didn’t want to bother anyone. But it got so consistent that I thought I’d better call up just in case.”

Speaking about her diagnosis to her fans online just one month after learning about her condition, she opened up about what pushed her to get checked out by doctors. She admitted: “It took me a while to pluck up the courage to call my GP at first.

“My symptoms seemed like things I could explain away. I didn’t want to be a burden to the NHS and I was embarrassed. I shouldn’t have worried. My GP took my concerns seriously, put me at ease and also offered me a home-testing kit.

“This meant I was able to do the test in the comfort of my own home. Soon after I was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer, which was very nearly developing into stage three.

“Getting the help I needed in time helped save my life. If you’re worried please speak to someone, early detection saves lives and it helped save mine.”

Life-saving surgery

Just weeks after her diagnosis, the star underwent surgery to remove the tumour and part of her rectum before she was given a stoma. A stoma is an opening on the abdomen that can be connected either to your digestive or urinary system to allow waste to be diverted out of your body.

The star then followed a six-week chemotherapy plan in addition to taking oral medication as she adjusted to her new life with a stoma. She explained on GMB: “So far I believe they’ve removed the rumour.

“It was in a really awkward place but they managed to save my bottom. My stoma is named Audrey. Once I’ve finished the chemo I should be well again.” Shortly after she came around from the surgery, Adele was forced to make some major lifestyle changes following the introduction of her stoma, she fondly named Audrey.

Speaking to BBC News, the broadcaster talked through the reason behind the necessary surgery. She revealed: “The reason doctors gave me [a stoma] is because large colon is healing at the moment because I’ve had a tumour removed, the cancerous tumour.

“Audrey is my small intestine that has been brought through my tummy to allow me to go to the toilet in the meantime, while my bottom is healing. So in a weird way, I’ve not been to the toilet since October 2021.”

Since then, Adele has been using her platform to raise awareness of stomas and help fight some of the shame associated with the condition. She went on: “Since I’ve got to know the ostomate community, I’ve realised that there are a few people that feel a bit of shame about their bodies.

“And that makes me so sad for them, because I know what they’ve been through to get their stoma. They’re absolute heroes and they should not be ashamed at all.”

She later credited this as one of the main reasons behind why she signed up to Dancing On Ice. In her opening video tape on the show, she confessed: “I didn’t know if they’d be able to operate so I’ve just taken each day, day by day, ever since I’ve been diagnosed.

“I’ve not banked on anything. I’ve just hoped that things can get better… This is all part of that process, and I think one of the main reasons I want to do [DOI] is not only to help celebrate and represent ostomates (people who have stoma bags), but also just reclaim my body from cancer, and DOI has helped with that.”

All clear

In June 2022, Adele announced that she was officially free from cancer just eight months after she was diagnosed with stage two cancer. She gushed: “The day I’ve finally been waiting for. Hearing the words, ‘You’re free of cancer’ absolutely took my breath away.

“I keep replaying it in my mind. It was the most beautiful sound I think I’ve ever heard. Even though I was praying Dr Khan would say that to me, I don’t think my head let me believe it until I heard it.

“Everything we’ve been through seems to be swirling around in my body and life feels a bit surreal at the moment… BUT I AM SO GRATEFUL! I am counting my blessings.

She went on: “I am also in awe of anyone dealing with cancer. The courage, the strength, the determination… and at times, the humour you have shown has been nothing short of superhuman.”

Recovery and corrective surgery

Last week, the TV star revealed she has taken the “first step” towards getting her colon hopefully working again after surviving cancer. While competing on the ITV show, the star is preparing for more surgeries over the next 12 months to help get her colon working again.

If she is successful, the presenter is hopeful that she will be able to “go to the toilet the old-fashioned way one day in the future.” She told her supportive fans on Instagram: “I think there’ll be a few more surgeries for me this year… but do you know what, I’m just so happy they can help me and there’s hope.”

After signing up for Dancing On Ice, the BBC presenter detailed how her feet were one of the most damaged parts of her body following the chemotherapy treatment – but that didn’t stop her from taking on the challenge.

She told fans on her Instagram Story: “Morning everybody, just hiding my feet because they’re disgusting. [I’m] gonna give you an update on how they’re getting on, the chemo has shredded them again…

“So, they get better a little bit, and I’ll show you what happens. Basically, the bottom falls off my feet. I manage it with painkiller and [her girlfriend] Kate’s also about to put some plasters on them, thank you Kate.”

Speaking to Jayne Torvil and Christopher Dean about her condition on the show, she revealed that skating has helped her feet to recover at surprising speed. She admitted: “So my feet have been very damaged by the chemo, and because you’re on ice and there’s not much friction, my feet have started to heal which is amazing…

“And we’ve been speaking a lot today on these sessions as well about how much of a good workout it is for your body and I just feel like I’m getting stronger every day, so even though I’m also falling over, it’s helping me have more confidence.”

Loving partner

One of the biggest things Adele has credited for helping her beat cancer is the unconditional love from her girlfriend Kate Holderness, 39. Speaking previously to Naga Munchetty on BBC Radio 5 Live, Adele gushed over how much she loved her partner who became her carer following her diagnosis.

She said: “We’ve just got stronger and stronger, and it’s made me realise what an incredible human she is. She’s been my strength and without her, I don’t think I’d be this upbeat.

“I think it would have really got to me mentally… but every morning I see Kate, I just feel blessed to wake up to her every single day.” Speaking of Kate’s role as her carer, Adele continued: “She’s gone above and beyond what a relationship should be, and she’s been everything to me.

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“She’s helped me dress my stoma. She’s cared for me. She’s been my nurse. She’s been my mentor. She really loves me. I’m going to have to marry her.”

Saying that she “looks up to” Kate, the TV personality added: “I always knew she was very special. And I knew she was a good person. But now, she is somebody that I look to for inspiration.

“From the start, she accepted my new body, and she made me feel amazing. And it’s thanks to her hat I get through every day.”

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk