Lisa Faulkner, 54, reveals she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and had major surgery two weeks ago

Lisa Faulkner announced that she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The 54-year-old TV chef has already had surgery and will undergo radiotherapy.

Lisa, who is married to former MasterChef star John Torode, revealed the news on Instagram on Thursday.

She said: ‘I know I’ve been very quiet here, it’s because I had to have surgery for the early stages of breast cancer.

‘I had surgery two weeks ago, it was quite a big surgery but everything is fine, I got my results and they took everything out.

‘So it’s all clear and I need radiotherapy in a few weeks.

‘I just wanted to say that I need to heal a bit, but I’m fine. ‘I’m fine and feeling much better and I’m so grateful I went for my mammogram.’

Lisa is married to former MasterChef star John Torode

Encouraging others to go and get checked, Lisa said: ‘I wanted to tell them don’t put it off, go for it because they found this and if it wasn’t for that mammogram it wouldn’t have been taken.

‘Thank you to our wonderful NHS and for being able to get these mammograms and start treatment early.’

The supportive messages were led by Lisa’s daughter Billie Coghill, whom she adopted with ex-husband Chris Coghill in 2008 when she was just 17 months old.

Billie, 20, shared a sweet message for her mother: ‘I love you so much, mom. ‘You are my absolute inspiration.’

Lisa was married to Emmerdale actor Chris from 2005 to 2011 after they met on the set of the ITV soap.

Lisa first met John in 2010 when he competed on Celebrity MasterChef and won the competition. They were both married to other people at the time, but they kept in touch.

They became a couple two years later after John wrote her a letter asking her out for dinner.

After winning Celebrity MasterChef, Lisa established a second career in cooking.

She has written several bestselling cookbooks and co-hosts John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen with her husband, John.

The program focuses on approachable home cooking and has become a regular feature on ITV.

Various famous friends also commented on Lisa’s post, which was shared with the title ‘A little update from me’, wishing her a speedy recovery.

Kate Lawler wrote: ‘Oh darling. Sending you huge amounts of love and healing hugs. ‘I’m so glad you went for your mammogram.’

British journalist and author Lorraine Candy said: ‘I’m making all the funny furry animal videos to send to you as soon as possible. It’s so nice to see your little face, lots of love to you and your family.’

The supportive messages were led by Lisa’s daughter Billie Coghill, whom she adopted with ex-husband Chris Coghill in 2008 when she was just 17 months old.

The 54-year-old TV chef has already had surgery and will undergo radiotherapy

Designer and fashion writer Fran Bacon said: ‘I love you so much Lisa, there’s so much to live up to and I’m glad to hear they’ve sorted it all out. Take time to heal, recover and rest. ‘I give you a big hug.’

MasterChef UK 2025 Finalist Sam Kaeokon said: ‘Sending you lots of love Lisa and take care.’

New analysis showed that the number of breast cancer cases in women under 50 increased by 5 percent in just one year.

Since 2000, diagnoses in this age group have increased by 16 percent; There was no equivalent increase in men.

While there is no conclusive evidence, experts worry that modern lifestyles are fueling the epidemic of early-onset (defined as those diagnosed before age 50) cancer, especially in young women.

More than 8,500 young women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer each year who are not invited for NHS screening.

Breast cancer is currently the most common cancer in the UK, with more than 59,000 new cases a year. It is estimated that 1.4 million people will live with this disease by 2050.

Breast Cancer Now’s chief scientific officer, Dr. Simon Vincent said: ‘As cases of breast cancer are increasing, it has never been more important to understand what is driving this trend, to prevent breast cancer from developing where possible and to diagnose the disease early when treatment can be most effective.

‘While an aging population and improvements in survival rates may play a role, we know that at least 23 per cent of cases could be prevented with healthier lifestyle choices.’

So what could be behind the mysterious rise in breast cancer cases in young people and how can you minimize your risk?

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, affecting more than two million women annually.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. More than 55,000 new cases occur in the UK each year and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. It strikes 266,000 people and kills 40,000 each year in the United States. So what causes this and how can it be treated?

What is breast cancer?

It comes from a cancerous cell that develops in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts.

When breast cancer spreads into surrounding tissue it is called ‘invasive’. Some people are diagnosed with ‘carcinoma in situ’, where no cancer cells grow beyond the duct or lobule.

Most cases develop over the age of 50, but sometimes younger women can be affected. Although rare, breast cancer can also develop in men.

Staging shows how large the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage, and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.

Cancerous cells are graded from low (i.e. slow growth) to high (rapid growth). Higher-grade cancers are more likely to come back after initial treatment.

What causes breast cancer?

A cancerous tumor starts from an abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or changes certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and proliferates ‘out of control’.

Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors, such as genetics, that can increase the chances.

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

Although most are noncancerous and are benign fluid-filled cysts, the usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast.

The first place breast cancer usually spreads is the lymph nodes under the armpit. In such a case, a swelling or lump will occur in your armpit.

How is breast cancer diagnosed?

• Initial evaluation: The doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may perform tests such as a mammogram, which is a special X-ray of breast tissue that can show the possibility of a tumor.
• Biopsy: A biopsy is the removal of a small sample of tissue from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.

If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, more tests may be needed to evaluate whether it has spread. For example, blood tests, ultrasound scan of the liver or chest x-ray.

How is breast cancer treated?

Treatment options that may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments is used.

• Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or removal of the affected breast, depending on the size of the tumor.
• Radiotherapy: It is a treatment that uses high-energy radiation beams focused on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells or stops them from multiplying. It is mainly used as an adjunct to surgery.
• Chemotherapy: Cancer treatment using anti-cancer drugs that kill cancer cells or prevent them from multiplying.
• Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the ‘female’ hormone oestrogen, which can encourage cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments that reduce the level of these hormones or prevent them from working are commonly used in breast cancer patients.

How successful is the treatment?

The outlook is best for people diagnosed when the cancer is still small and has not spread. Surgical removal of the tumor at an early stage may give a good chance of cure later.

Routine mammography offered to women aged 50-71 means more breast cancers are diagnosed and treated at an early stage.

For more information, visit breastcancernow.org or call the free helpline on 0808 800 6000.