EastEnders star Heather Peace has bravely shared details of her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment during an appearance on ITV's Lorraine. The actress, who plays Eve Unwin on the BBC soap, revealed she was diagnosed in October 2024 after noticing a change in her nipple.
Diagnosis and Decision to Continue Working
Heather, 49, discovered the cancer the night before she was due to start filming a major storyline for her character Eve and on-screen partner Suki Panesar (played by Balvinder Sopal). She told host Lorraine Kelly: "It was the night before we started the block that I found out. At that point, I just thought I wanted to finish the story so if things had gone badly wrong, we had kind of put a full stop."
The actress stressed it was her choice to keep working during treatment, praising the BBC for their support. "It was my choice," she said. "The days that I was there were the days that were the easiest because everyone makes you laugh, it's a real family feel and I didn't want to be at home."
Emotional Impact and Family Support
Reflecting on her diagnosis, Heather described it as "like having the rug ripped out from under you." She added: "It's been very positive as well." The actress credited her wife, who has also battled breast cancer, for their mutual support. "We showed up for each other, and I think being able to prove that in sickness and in health, we did it. She showed up for me and I showed up for her, it made us stronger, it's been really tough on the kids."
Heather has three children: an 11-year-old daughter and nine-year-old twins. She explained how they handled the news with their children: "We were honest without scaring them, we were super honest with them the whole time. The only thing was I couldn't allow myself to break down in front of them... I used to use the shower for that, it's tricky because their world is falling apart as well."
Health Update and Advice to Women
Host Lorraine described Heather's cancer as "aggressive," and the actress admitted how scary it was, but said: "I don't see myself as strong at all, I think it's about seeing the positives in the situation you're in." She added: "All the relationships in your life suddenly mean so much more."
Urging other women to get checked, Heather revealed she noticed a change in her nipple while photographing herself for a no-sugar diet. "I found out because I was doing a no-sugar diet and was taking pictures of myself to watch my progress, it was because my nipple looked different, that's how I worked it out, I was like, that doesn't look like me," she said. "It's really important, just in the shower, while you're washing yourself."
Ongoing Treatment
When asked about her continued treatment, Heather said: "A couple of years of drugs, everything is bespoke now with cancer care, depending on your age, fitness, whatever. So I'm on a couple of years of drugs to keep flushing my system because it was in my lymph."
Lorraine airs weekdays from 9.30am on ITV1 and ITVX. For more information and support, visit Macmillan Cancer Support.
