Lisa Faulkner has shared with fans that she has undergone surgery after being diagnosed with the early stages of breast cancer. The TV personality explained that she had the procedure two weeks ago and has since received the all clear from her doctors.
Romance Blossomed on Celebrity MasterChef
Faulkner fell for husband John Torode while competing on Celebrity MasterChef in 2010, which she ultimately won. The couple began their romance that same year. In 2022, Faulkner opened up to Express.co.uk about her family life with Torode as part of a broader interview about encouraging families to strengthen their bonds during mealtimes.
Faulkner and Torode form a formidable duo when it comes to culinary programmes. Torode has fronted MasterChef since 2005 right through to the present series, which is currently broadcasting on BBC One. The couple have united on screen as well as off it to jointly present John and Lisa's Weekend Kitchen, which debuted on ITV in 2019.
A Transformative Experience
Asked whether she realised what a transformative experience Celebrity MasterChef would prove to be back in 2010, Faulkner confirmed at the time that she had no clue. "No, I had absolutely no idea," she reflected. "I had no idea it was going to change my career. So much that I was then going to start cooking and then, you know, John and I being together. It's just so weird how the world works!"
Alongside her career as a television chef, Faulkner continues to work as an actress and is most recognised for her roles on soaps such as Brookside, Holby City and EastEnders. Speaking about moving between acting and presenting cookery shows, Faulkner explained: "I'm very lucky to do both, and recently I've been doing some more acting as well."
Balancing Acting and Cooking
"But I think we live in a world where - years and years ago, you only had one career and you didn't stray off the path - but you can't just have that one career anymore," she added. "Life doesn't work like that - especially not as a 50-year-old woman in the acting game. There's not lots of work and so I've actually been very lucky in that I love to cook, I really love it."
"So, after MasterChef I decided - and I was offered some great parts but they weren't hugely different to what I'd done - so I just thought, you know what, I'm just going to jump in and test myself and do something that scares me. It's been so brilliant and I've loved it, but I also love being on set, so I hope I can continue doing both until I'm an old lady."
Family Life and Mealtime Traditions
Faulkner also discussed in the interview her domestic life with Torode and their combined family, revealing how sitting down together for meals at the dining table often proved the most effective method of securing some "proper conversation" with their children. Faulkner is mum to adopted daughter Billie, while Torode has children Casper and Marselle from his first marriage and Jonah, 17, and Lulu, 15 from another relationship.
