Celebrity Big Brother’s Trisha Goddard reveals how she kept cancer secret for 19 months and not even her TV bosses knew

CELEBRITY Big Brother’s Trisha Goddard has revealed how she kept her cancer a secret for 19 months – and not even her TV bosses knew.

Trisha, 67, was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer in 2023, having first got the disease in 2008.

The popular presenter – who is currently living in the Celebrity Big Brother house alongside a host of famous faces – was told two years ago her cancer had reached staged four.

However, she waited until last year to break the news of her terminal diagnosis.

In February 2024, she told fans: “It’s not going to go away.”

She continued: “And with that knowledge comes grief, and fear.

“But I must keep enjoying what I have always enjoyed.”

It has since been revealed she’d actually been given her heartbreaking diagnosis 19 months before, but chose to keep it private so she could “process” it.

Speaking on the brand new episode of Davina McCall’s Begin Again podcast, she explained more and said: “I wasn’t going to tell anybody until I was ready.

“That meant, those people at the wedding only knew after the wedding and nobody knew until…. you know Princess Catherine came out about hers.”

“My colleagues at CNN didn’t know. They didn’t know I was having chemo every bloody week.

“Literally one time I got off the table from radiation treatment, went straight to work. They thought I was mad.”

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“I didn’t have a day off work, not a single day. And nobody knew for 19 months. Nobody knew.”

LIVING LIFE TO THE FULL

When Trisha entered the Celebrity Big Brother house on Monday night, she shared how her diagnosis has made her want to “keep living life to the fullest”.

Speaking to hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best on launch night, she said: “It’s my new normal.

“I’m going into the Big Brother house to show you can’t be so scared of dying that you become frightened of living.” 

CANCER TREATMENT

It’s also been revealed how Trisha is receiving cancer treatment while in the CBB house.

Speaking to The Mirror ahead of her TV stint, she spoke about how her oncologist is working alongside the Big Brother team.

“I’ve got a special therapist who’s happy to work with the medic on the show,” she explained.

She then said: “My palliative care team – and when I say that word everybody screams and runs away, but it’s symptom treatment – is working with the team here too.

“And then when it comes to my treatment, I had one infusion on Monday, so I’ve got to jump on a plane and go straight back to have the next one as soon as the show is over.”

Trisha then spoke about the “bag full of meds” that she is taking in the house with her.

She also revealed how her oncologist has planned her treatment around the production schedule.

Trisha also has her own room in the Celebrity Big Brother house to keep her as comfortable as possible.

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