Strictly’s Alex Kingston, 62, reveals secret womb cancer battle that left her ‘haemorrhaging’ on stage

Strictly Come Dancing star Alex Kingston revealed she was secretly battling uterine (uterine) cancer last year.

The 62-year-old former ER actress was diagnosed with the disease in May and subsequently underwent a hysterectomy and radiation therapy.

Alex confessed She had been experiencing symptoms for a long time, but attributed it to her age – until last summer when she ‘bleeded’ on stage while performing in a play.

The mum-of-one has revealed that although her battle with cancer has taken up ‘a huge part’ of her life, she now feels like ‘Superwoman’ after overcoming the disease and signing up for Strictly.

Stating that he did not feel well due to his age, he said: ‘I never entered the path of cancer in my mind. It was a shock because I have a very positive outlook on life in general.

‘Even though my body was telling me there was something seriously wrong, I kept thinking: ‘Oh, I have a bad urinary tract infection or fibroids.’

The mother-of-one revealed that battling cancer has taken up ‘a huge part’ of her life, but she now feels like ‘Superwoman’ after overcoming the disease and signing up for Strictly.

Alex, who starred in The Other Boleyn Girl at a West Sussex theater in April and May last year, waited until her run in the play was over before seeking medical treatment and was told doctors had found cancer in her fallopian tubes but the disease had not spread to her ovaries.

he added Independent: ‘Even though I had been through all this – and accepting any cancer is really hard, steeling myself to go through all the procedures necessary to return to health – the moment I had the surgery I suddenly felt like myself again… [I] “I haven’t felt this way in years.”

She has since signed up to compete on Strictly to ‘do it for women of a certain age’.

The 62-year-old Doctor Who star is the oldest woman in this year’s series, which also includes Dani Dyer, Vicky Pattinson and Balvinder Sopal.

Asked if she had any hesitations about signing up for Strictly, she told the Daily Mail last month: ‘I had to sit down and really think about whether I would be physically ready for it.

‘But I also felt: ‘Come on Alex, do this for women of a certain age.”

He admitted last week that he found the process ‘challenging’ following health problems.

Appearing on This Morning with professional partner Johannes Radebe, she admitted: ‘To be honest it’s a lot different and more challenging than I thought it would be, but I’m doing this for women of a certain age.

‘For everyone over 60, age is just a number and to prove that after a certain age, your body below the knees doesn’t die.’

She signed up for Strictly 62 with the aim of ‘making it for women of a certain age’. The Doctor Who star (pictured with Johannes Radebe) is the oldest woman in this year’s series.

Womb cancer affects around 9,7000 women in the UK each year. When the disease, nicknamed the silent killer, is diagnosed in advanced stages, only 15 percent of women survive. Peaches Trust wants to raise more awareness about the disease so women can catch it early

Alex added: ‘I had some pretty complex health issues last year and I’ve gotten through them.

‘Other than that, what you hear over and over again is: life is too short, if there’s something you want to do, be brave and go do it.’

Alex previously told the Daily Mail that she had long wanted to dance in the Strictly ballroom and was inspired by her friend Sarah Hadland, 54, who reached the final with professional dancer Vito Coppola, 32, last year.

Alex said: ‘Many years ago we [Sarah Hadland and Alex] We were at a play together and we both secretly admitted to each other that we really, really wanted to do this.

‘Then I said, ‘If you definitely win, I definitely can’t because you’re going to win.’

‘Then when I saw that he was also involved in this project, I was so excited for him because I knew he was fulfilling a dream he shared with me.

‘So I reached out to him and asked him what the experience was like and it was really great.

‘He was very honest about the overall experience and how intense it can be. How overwhelming it can be sometimes, but also such a positive thing.

‘We achieved this by talking to Sarah because she didn’t sugarcoat it, she was very clear about how challenging it was.

‘He finally let me make my own decision and I decided to follow in his footsteps.’

Alex, who plays River Song alongside David Tennant and Matt Smith in Doctor Who, said her absolute aim is to ‘get through this process unscathed’.

DEFINITELY LINEUP 2025

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

Age:36

Job: Olympic Sprinter and Gladiator

Harry says: ‘I’ll bring tons of energy to light up the dance floor. Let’s hope I can pick up the routines as quickly as I do on the track.’

Alex Kingston

Age: 62

Job: Doctor Who actor

The actress jokes: ‘My hips don’t lie.’

Balvinder Sopal

Age: 46

Job: EastEnders actor

Balvinder says: ‘I’m too excited to put into words how I feel, but I’m incredibly excited at the prospect of dancing in the ballroom.’

La Voix

Age: 45

Job: drag artist

He says: ‘It’s definitely a national institution and I can’t wait to get started. All I have to say is: good luck to my partner! I hope they can help me get from La Voix to La Danse.’

Thomas Skinner

Age: 34

Job: Reality star and entrepreneur

He says: ‘Bring the sequins, the samba and most importantly BOSH to the ballroom!’

Vicky Pattison

Age: 37

Profession: Reality TV star

She says: ‘I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing line-up… but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared.’

Karen Carney

Age: 38

Profession: Football expert

He says: ‘I’m a huge fan of the show and can’t believe I finally got the chance to take part.’

george clark

Age: 25

Profession: YouTuber

He says: ‘I never thought I’d say this… but I definitely do! ‘Honestly, I have no idea what I’m doing but I’m excited to get stuck in… and potentially fall a bit.’

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Age: 53

Job: Former Chelsea and Netherlands forward and former England manager.

He says: ‘Replacing the pitch with a ballroom is definitely not something I’ve done before but I’m looking forward to tackling a fun challenge! Bring in a new kind of footwork that hopefully doesn’t lead to own goals.’

Ellie Goldstein

Age: 23

Job: Model, influencer and disability ambassador

He says: ‘This is a show I’ve loved watching for a long time and now the chance to be a part of it feels like a dream.’

Chris Robshaw

Age: 39

Job: rugby player

He says: ‘This is as far out of my comfort zone as it gets! I’m hoping to take my dad’s dancing to a whole new level, and my mom can’t wait to drag me to a Zumba class.

Stefan Dennis

Age: 66

Profession: Actor

He says: ‘I can’t wait to shine and reach the sky.’

King of Ross

Age: 63

Profession: Showbiz reporter

She says: ‘I can’t wait to learn from the best, meet my fellow contestants and most importantly… try not to step on too many toes!’

Lewis Cope

Age: 30

Profession: Actor

She says: ‘I’m so excited to swap the Dales for the dance floor and take part in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.’

Amber Davies

Age: 28

Profession: West End star

He says: ‘This was the craziest 24 hours of my life. ‘I’ve watched Strictly with my family since I was little and now being a part of the show is like a dream come true.’