Breast Cancer Awareness Month: 9 celebrities who've had breast cancer including Julia Bradbury and Amy Dowden

One in eight women will develop breast cancer over the course of their lifetime.

Cancer is an illness that doesn't discriminate - it attacks people from all walks of life, regardless of someone's background, wealth or fame.

Numerous celebrities have been diagnosed in the past, from actresses to singers and comedians. Here are nine celebrities who have undergone treatment, and their experiences with breast cancer.

Julia Bradbury

Countryfile star Julia Bradbury was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, revealing that she had undergone a single masectomy to have a 6cm tumour removed.

She has since starred in a documentary called Julia Bradbury: Breast Cancer and Me and has been vocal on social media, encouraging women to get themselves checked. She is also the cover star of this month's Prima magazine.

Kylie Minogue

Australian singer and actress Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 36, back in 2005. After chemotherapy and a lumpectomy, she was declared cancer-free around 12 months later.

In an interview with Who magazine in 2020, she said: "Cancer changed many things forever, and some things didn’t change at all. My view of the world was different, my destination, for the most part, was the same.

"I was even more passionate about the people and things that I loved, but life as I had known it was on hold."

Amy Dowden

Welsh dancer Amy Dowden is a beloved part of the Strictly Come Dancing TV line-up, but earlier this year revealed she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

The 33-year-old was diagnosed with ‘aggressive’ stage three breast cancer back in May this year. She found a lump while preparing for her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones in April and shared her diagnosis weeks later.

Her treatment is ongoing, but Dowden remains optimistic about returning to the TV show soon.

Sarah Harding

Former Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding tragically died of breast cancer in 2021, after being diagnosed the previous year.

Posting on Instagram at the time, the singer said: "Earlier this year I was diagnosed with breast cancer and a couple of weeks ago I received the devastating news that the cancer has advanced to other parts of my body. I’m currently undergoing weekly chemotherapy sessions and I am fighting as hard as I possibly can."

Following her death in September 2021, she has become an inspiration for breast cancer awareness in the UK and beyond.

Dame Maggie Smith

At the age of 73, Dame Maggie Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer, in 2009. During her treatment, the legendary actress insisted that she would continue working, with filming ongoing for Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince, where she played Professor McGonaggle.

Speaking to the Daily Mail after she got the all-clear, she said: "I didn’t think it was anything serious because years ago I felt a lump and it was benign. I assumed this would be too.

"It takes the wind out of your sails."

Kathy Bates

In 2012, actress Kathy Bates was diagnosed with breast cancer, which resulted in her having a double masectomy.

Best known for her roles in Titanic, Misery and The Office, Bates said on Twitter: "Hey all, sorry for the long silence. I was diagnosed with breast cancer two months ago and am recovering from a double mastectomy."

Since her treatment, she has also been suffering from lymphedema in both of her arms - a side-effect of her treatment. This means there is a build-up of lymph fluid in her limbs, causing swelling.

Sharon Osbourne

Although she didn't technically have breast cancer, TV star and wife of rockstar Ozzy Osbourne was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2002. As part of her treatment, she had an elective double masectomy, to prevent the development of breast cancer.

In an interview with Hello! magazine she said: "As soon as I found out I had the breast cancer gene, I thought, 'The odds are not in my favour'. I've had cancer before and I didn't want to live under that cloud. I decided to just take everything off, and had a double mastectomy.'

Jennifer Saunders

Actress and comedian Jennifer Saunders is perhaps best known as one half of the iconic French and Saunders duo, who also held roles in Absolutely Fabulous, Coraline and Shrek 2.

In October 2009 Saunders was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was 52-years-old at the time.

Although she has since been given the all-clear, Saunders kept her diagnosis private to begin with. In her autobiography, published in 2013, she explained how she was prescribed anti-depressants to counter the effects of cancer medication - which subsequently triggered her menopause.

Edie Falco

Perhaps best known for playing Carmela in the hit TV show The Sopranos, Falco was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 - while she was still filming for the long-running mafia drama.

Speaking to Patient Resource at the time, she said: "I was in a panic, to tell you the truth. I couldn’t walk or breathe. I come from a family with a lot of cancer – not breast cancer, mind you, but cancer nonetheless – and when I heard that word, all I could think was ‘funeral.’ I just went numb, and then I moved on to thinking, ‘How am I going to get through this."

Fortunately, after a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Falco was given the all-clear in 2004.