Kirsty Gallacher’s life was turned upside down in 2021, after she was rushed to hospital following concerns she may have a brain tumour – leading to her stepping away from GB News
Kirsty Gallacher, 49, initially mistook a serious health warning for a common cold when she experienced trouble hearing through an earpiece while on GB News in 2021. The ex-Sky Sports presenter has opened up about her harrowing experience with an acoustic neuroma, a tumour in the inner ear canal, during a new interview.
In a candid chat with The Sun’s Fabulous Magazine, Kirsty shared: “I was doing GB rehearsals and I had my earpiece, but I couldn’t hear. I had been travelling a bit and I thought maybe I had a bit of a cold.”
She continued: “Then I literally woke up one morning and couldn’t hear properly. I went to see a doctor, who said it was an emergency as it could be a brain tumour.”
After undergoing an MRI, doctors confirmed she had an acoustic neuroma. Updating fans on her condition, Kirsty revealed plans for targeted radiotherapy, saying: “We have to monitor it as I don’t want them to operate on it as it’s so close to the brain. I have to have targeted radiotherapy for it, so I’m having to think about that and when I will do it.”
Despite the emotional impact of the tumour and stepping back from GB News, the mother-of-two considers herself fortunate, acknowledging that her situation “could have been worse”.
Following her health scare, Kirsty is now on cloud nine, both personally and professionally. She’s bagged a prime slot at Gold Radio and found happiness with her beau Darren Clayton, 39.
Kirsty and Darren first crossed paths in 2023, and their love story continues to blossom. The celeb had previously weathered a tough divorce from her ex-husband of four years and father to her sons, Oscar, 18, and Jude, 15, Paul Sampson, 47, back in August 2015.
Acoustic neuroma symptoms
According to the NHS website, an acoustic neuroma may not cause any obvious symptoms at first. Symptoms tend to develop gradually and usually include:
- Hearing loss that often only affects one ear
- Hearing sounds that come from inside the body (tinnitus)
- The sensation that you’re moving or spinning (vertigo)
A larger acoustic neuroma can sometimes lead to:
- Persistent headaches
- Temporary blurred or double vision
- Numbness, pain or weakness on one side of the face
- Problems with limb co-ordination (ataxia) on one side of the body
- Voice changes or difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
