The Office star Lucy Davis has revealed she’s been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, and she ‘doesn’t know how long she has left’.
The actress, 53, shared her diagnosis in an Instagram post on Tuesday, and revealed the cancer has now spread to her ‘bones’.
In her post, Lucy shared that she first discovered a ‘tiny, hard spot’ in her breast a year ago and nearly ignored it before seeing a doctor.
The Wonder Woman star said that despite the cancer being declared incurable she’s ‘at peace with whatever comes next’.
Lucy shared her diagnosis alongside an emotional video that showed her ringing the cancer treatment bell, and she shared in her post that she’s been told it’s ‘too late’ for her to undergo chemotherapy.
The star is best known for her role as Dawn Tinsley in Ricky Gervais‘ comedy The Office, and went on to star in the Marvel film Wonder Woman.
She wrote: ‘Hi friends:) I wanted to share something with you all that I’ve kept to myself for a while but for various reasons would like to share now.
‘A year and a half ago I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, which has metastasised to my bones. Specifically to my spine, right hip, and my ribs. The cancer is incurable, and too late for chemo.
The Office star Lucy Davis, 53, has revealed she’s been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, and she ‘doesn’t know how long she has left’
Lucy shared her diagnosis alongside an emotional video that showed her ringing the cancer treatment bell, and she shared in her post it’s ‘too late’ for her to undergo chemotherapy
‘The initial lump that I felt, wasn’t a ‘lump’ as such; rather a kind of hard spot. Really tiny. I almost didn’t bother getting it checked. So I guess I’m saying don’t ignore anything – get everything checked out.
‘As of now, I’m trying to live out whatever might be left of my life in as fun a way as I possibly can. I always like to find the teachable moments in anything negative that happens.
‘And cancer has not disappointed in that regard; there’s a lot I have learned from it, and I’m grateful for that.
‘As some of you will know, the pain can really be something else. Standing and walking for too long a time can be hard, and I need to use a wheelchair sometimes (so if you see me toddling around in one, feel free to give me a push!)
‘The thing that has been most vital to me is humour. I asked my friends and family to make fun of me as much as possible (which they’re really good at), and most importantly of all to not treat me like a sick person.
‘There’s nothing that will make you feel more unwell than being treated as if you’re unwell.
‘I’m not scared of whatever comes next. I’m at peace with it. I’ll see my Gracie [her dog, who died in 2024] sooner than expected, and for me, leaving my physical body just means going home. Any and all grieving is for my family; it’s far harder for them than for me.
‘I’m still going to keep up all my work for animal rights. It’s so important to me. And I still would like to keep working. I’m perfectly able to do so, and acting is one of the biggest joys in my life.
Lucy appeared alongside Ricky Gervais and Martin Freeman in The Office, which aired from 2001 to 2003
The star shared a legnthy post revealing that due to the pain of her diagnosis, she now has to use a wheelchair and said ‘she’s at peace with whatever comes next’
Lucy is also the daughter of the famous British comedian Jasper Carrott, who hosted the ITV game show Golden Balls (pictured in 2009)
‘For those of you on a similar journey to mine, I do wish you well. Cancer asks a lot from us, physically and mentally. And we all get to do it however we choose. Much love to you all.’
Following her announcement, Breast Cancer Now’s Sally Kum released a statement, writing: ‘We’re deeply sorry to hear the news that Lucy Davis is living with metastatic, incurable breast cancer, and we’re sending our thoughts and support to Lucy, her family and everyone close to her at this incredibly difficult time.
‘Lucy’s openness about her diagnosis will undoubtedly resonate with the many thousands of people living with metastatic breast cancer across the UK.
‘While advances in breast cancer treatment mean that more people are living longer with the disease, metastatic breast cancer remains incurable, and Breast Cancer Now is committed to changing that so by 2050 everyone diagnosed with breast cancer lives and lives well.
‘Lucy’s story is a powerful reminder that we cannot take our foot off the accelerator. We need to supercharge the dial on metastatic breast cancer by driving greater investment in research, developing better and kinder treatments, and finding new ways to prevent the disease from progressing and ultimately taking more lives.
‘We must keep pushing for game-changing discoveries and access to life-extending drugs like Enhertu so that people living with metastatic breast cancer can have more time to live.
‘We’re grateful to Lucy for sharing her experience so openly. We hope her honesty helps shine a light on the reality of metastatic breast cancer and the need for more research and support for everyone living with it.
‘Anyone affected by breast cancer or seeking information and support can speak to Breast Cancer Now’s expert nurses by calling the charity’s free, confidential helpline on 0808 800 6000, or via its forum or email.’
Lucy has also been open about her past experience with bulimia, which was at its worst when she was going through a divorce in 2011, but went on to take up weightlifting
Lucy has battled with ill health and in 1997 she had a kidney transplant, using an organ donated by her mother, Hazel (pictured with her late dog Gracie in 2024)
The actress pictured with her first husband Owain Yeoman, whom she married in 2006 and divorced in 2011. Pictured also with her father, Jasper Carrott
Lucy made a name for herself as Dawn Tinsley in Ricky Gervais’s The Office, and she has since gone on to appear in The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina as one of the lead’s aunts, Hilda Spellman.
She also played Etta Candy in the 2017 Wonder Woman movie, and had filmed US comedy series Amy from Amarillo.
Lucy has battled with ill health and in 1997 she had a kidney transplant, using an organ donated by her mother, Hazel.
The actress, who is diabetic, required hospital treatment with kidney failure in 2005 but went on to make a full recovery.
Lucy has also been open about her experience with bulimia, which was at its worst when she was going through a divorce in 2011.
She said during a 2017 interview with The Telegraph that after years of living with an eating disorder she’s realised that ‘whatever your body’s meant to be, it will figure itself out… it’s been a journey’.
‘In my 30s, I would have hated to look like this,’ she added. ”I probably wouldn’t have gone out much. I’d diet for a week and then eat all the food I hadn’t consumed in the previous seven days in a single day.’
The star’s bulimia battle peaked around 2011, as her five-year marriage to fellow actor Owain Yeoman came to an end.
The actress, who even enrolled in Overeaters Anonymous, went on: ‘Now, I think I’m just normal. But my head didn’t think that then. This period of binge and purge was at its worst when my marriage came to an end.
‘Even today, I’ll wonder sometimes whether I might try and shift a few pounds, and then I’ll think: ‘Ooh no, I’d love some cheese’. I came to realise that all eating disorders aren’t essentially about what you look like.
‘They’re about something much more fundamental. Like any addiction, I suppose. It’s not that you have a drink problem, for example; it’s that you have a problem, which is why you drink. For me, a cycle of throwing up and starving was my solution.’
Lucy is also the daughter of the famous British comedian Jasper Carrott, who hosted the ITV game show Golden Balls.
She was married to Welsh actor Owain Yeoman from December 2006 until their divorce in October 2011.
‘I remember reading when I split from my husband that he’s good-looking and I’m not, so therefore he deserves better,’ she said in an interview at the time.
The pair did not have any children together.
When asked if she would ever get married again, she said: ‘How could I not want to fall in love again? That will happen one day.
‘But right now, I’m just so happy. I’ve got my dog Gracie after all.’
For help or information with eating disorders, call Beat on 0808 801 0677
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and affects more than two MILLION women a year
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Each year in the UK there are more than 55,000 new cases, and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it strikes 266,000 each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?
What is breast cancer?
It comes from a cancerous cell which develops in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts.
When the breast cancer has spread into surrounding tissue it is called ‘invasive’. Some people are diagnosed with ‘carcinoma in situ’, where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule.
Most cases develop in those over the age of 50 but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, though this is rare.
Staging indicates how big 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.
The cancerous cells are graded from low, which means a slow growth, to high, which is fast-growing. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after they have first been treated.
What causes breast cancer?
A cancerous tumour starts from one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply ‘out of control’.
Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the chance, such as genetics.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most are not cancerous and are fluid-filled cysts, which are benign.
The first place that breast cancer usually spreads to is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this occurs you will develop a swelling or lump in an armpit.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
- Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may do tests such as a mammogram, a special X-ray of the breast tissue which can indicate the possibility of tumours.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed 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, further tests may be needed to assess if it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the liver or a chest X-ray.
How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options which may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments are used.
- Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or the removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumour.
- Radiotherapy: A treatment which uses high energy beams of radiation focused on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells, or stops them from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.
- Chemotherapy: A treatment of cancer by using anti-cancer drugs which kill cancer cells, or stop them from multiplying.
- Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the ‘female’ hormone oestrogen, which can stimulate the cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments which reduce the level of these hormones, or prevent them from working, are commonly used in people with breast cancer.
How successful is treatment?
The outlook is best in those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small, and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumour in an early stage may then give a good chance of cure.
The routine mammography offered to women between the ages of 50 and 71 means more breast cancers are being diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
For more information visit breastcancernow.org or call its free helpline on 0808 800 6000
