Loose Women panellist Kéllé Bryan became emotional during Wednesday's episode as she reflected on her 28-year health battle with lupus. Host Kaye Adams presented the show alongside Coleen Nolan, Janet Street-Porter, and Bryan, who shared an update on her diagnosis after a decade of living with the condition.
Kéllé Bryan's Emotional Reflection
The discussion began after the panel talked about Kylie Minogue, who revealed she faced a second cancer diagnosis in 2021. Bryan then opened up about her own struggles with lupus, which led to severe complications including cerebral lupus, a stroke, and memory impairment. A clip from 10 years ago was played, showing Bryan tearfully describing her experience.
In the footage, Bryan said: "It was really spiralling, so no matter what they tried to do in terms of managing the condition, it wasn't coming under control. And then I had a seizure." She continued: "I was driving my car at the time, and unfortunately, I got onto my driveway, and then I had a seizure. When I came round, I lost three days of my life. I don't remember what happened."
Remission and New Hope
Back in the studio, Adams asked if she found the clip hard to watch. Bryan replied: "Yeah, it is hard to watch. It's been ten years. Now, I can celebrate the fact that I'm now in remission... I think about the decision I made back then to go public with the diagnosis, and now we're in a situation, because of research and funding, that there's a new treatment called CAR-T cell therapy."
She added: "Five patients have actually been tested and gone through therapy, and they're now actually in remission. Whereas, before, there was no hope, and now I feel like that was worth it, because there are people out there who now have hope of getting better."
Speaking Out for Others
Bryan explained why she felt compelled to share her story: "I couldn't be selfish and think about myself. They are voiceless; they don't have anyone to listen to them. It's not like cancer, where it's much more known about, and there's a lot more attention. Whereas, lupus is one in nine... So, at that time, they didn't have a voice, so I felt responsible to do something."
Adams asked how much it took for her to openly share her experience, and Bryan replied: "Yeah, it takes a lot for me to talk about it - it doesn't matter when. At that time, I was only just able to speak because I lost my speech, because I had a stroke. So, I had to learn to speak and walk and talk, and all of that stuff again." She added: "But I think, in my mind, it's always about the other patients, because I can walk, I can talk now, I can do those things. And there are patients that can't, even now."
Bryan revealed that she has received messages from people saying: "Well, if you can, if you're where you are now, then hopefully if I keep going, then I can get there." She concluded: "That's what's important."
Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 12.30pm. For more information about lupus, visit Lupus UK or the Lupus Research Alliance.
