Welsh presenter Mari Grug has won Best Presenter at BAFTA Cymru 2026 for her deeply personal documentary based on her cancer journey. The mother-of-three opened up about her diagnosis with Stage 4 cancer in the S4C film titled Mari Grug: Un dydd ar y tro (one day at a time).
A well-known face to S4C audiences
Mari is a well-known face to S4C audiences, having fronted Heno and Prynhawn Da for a number of years. She received her breast cancer diagnosis in 2023, aged 38, and is now living with metastatic cancer that has spread to her lymph nodes and liver.
She let the cameras into her life in a bid to raise awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and now upon winning the award she said she hopes it inspires more people to get checked. The film follows Mari as she navigates treatment, physical and emotional challenges, alongside cherished moments of joy with her family and young children.
'Everything's possible'
Speaking to WalesOnline on the BAFTA Cymru red carpet on Sunday, October 4, Mari said: "To be nominated is a huge, huge honour and for something so personal."
"Hopefully the documentary has given other people hope that are on the same journey as myself, and to show everything's possible. I'm still receiving chemotherapy every 3 weeks, but it's working at the moment. I'm eternally grateful for it. But again, showing other people, yes, with a challenging diagnosis, you can still lead a relatively normal life and enjoy. Make the most of it."
She spoke of how important it is to make films on the topic, and show the reality of living with cancer. Mari said: "It's so, so important. The statistics around cancer diagnosis are really shocking and alarming. You know, 1 in 2 will get cancer, 1 in 7 breast cancer."
"I think we still have to raise our voices. In Wales, the survival rate is the lowest in Europe, so we have so much work to do. I think a documentary, any nomination, is definitely raising awareness, and that's why I'm here tonight."
Motherhood as motivation
Upon winning the award Mari told WalesOnline that it was a "huge honour" and that it meant so much to win after sharing such a deeply personal experience. She said: "Obviously my family was involved, my husband, my three children, my sister, my parents, my in-laws, yeah, for something so personal, I think it means a little bit more as well."
"We made the documentary, it wasn't to win any awards, but definitely to raise awareness, get people to check, and if you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything. That's so important. So I think hopefully, after winning an award like this, more people will come across the documentary, and hope it gives other people hope. Even though with Stage 4 cancer, you're still able to live a relatively normal life. Challenging and hard at times, you can still live a full life, and the cancer, it doesn't define you."
Mari explained that her three children don't quite understand what she is going through, but they are the reason she carries on. She said: "I don't think they quite understand, they're still young. But, being a mother is making me carry on."
"Obviously with Stage 4 cancer, it's difficult. I still have chemotherapy every three weeks, but they make me get up, get out of bed in the morning. This morning I was on the side of a rugby pitch in Rhymney, supporting one of the boys playing rugby. Life carries on, and they make me carry on. I'm so proud of the three of them, and I'm obviously so lucky, and my husband as well, who's with me every step of the way."
Inspiration for others
When the documentary was released, Marguerite Holloway, Macmillan's Breast Cancer Lead for Wales, described Mari as an inspiration. She said: "Mari has been so inspiring in raising awareness of living with secondary breast cancer, and she has been so open and honest about her diagnosis."
"We need more awareness to improve services for people living with secondary breast cancer in Wales, and this will help families and those diagnosed with cancer help find the support and help they need. We are really grateful for everything Mari has done."
You can watch Mari Grug: Un dydd ar y tro on BBC iPlayer and S4C Clic.
