Linda Robson has opened up about a terrifying health ordeal, revealing she thought she 'was going to die' after having most of her pancreas removed. The Loose Women star, 69, developed acute pancreatitis and required emergency surgery, which left her in intensive care.
A Life-Threatening Diagnosis
The actress, best known for playing Tracey Stubbs in Birds of a Feather and its ITV reboot, spoke candidly about her experience. 'I was petrified in intensive care. I thought I was going to die,' she told The Sun. 'I had to have most of my pancreas removed because there were two tumours in a difficult position. I had to have a brain scan as well.'
Linda credited her children for helping her through the ordeal. 'Seeing my kids’ faces got me through it. They were at the hospital all the time. They’ve been amazing,' she said.
Previous Health Scares
This isn't the first time Linda has faced serious health issues. In December, she pulled out of a pantomime performance at the last minute due to a health scare. Around the same time, she revealed on Loose Women that doctors were monitoring her after gallstones damaged her pancreas. 'Well I've had a bit of a health scare myself. So, quite a few years ago I had gallstones and they damaged my pancreas, and they've been keeping an eye on me for a while now,' she explained.
The star also underwent numerous MRI scans after a cyst on her pancreas grew from 1cm to 2cm. 'The kids have obviously been really worried about me,' she added.
Battling Addiction
In 2024, Linda opened up about struggling with addiction in her candid memoir. She recalled a time when her family considered getting her sectioned under the Mental Health Act. She voluntarily checked into the Nightingale Hospital, 'not knowing if I would come home again.'
'I hated myself. I told myself I was just a burden to Mark and the kids and that I was ruining all their lives,' she wrote. 'I couldn't even be trusted with my own grandchildren. That's when I started to think I'd be better off dead.'
Linda's brave revelations highlight the importance of seeking help and the support of loved ones during difficult times.
