Bafta-winning actress Marisa Abela has shared the profound fear she experienced following a shock cancer diagnosis, admitting her biggest worry was that she might never speak again.
A shocking diagnosis during the pandemic
The star, now 29, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2020 at the age of 23. Her symptoms, which included brain fog, initially led her to believe she had contracted Covid-19 during the height of the pandemic. Speaking candidly on the How To Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast, Abela described the moment she received the news as "very scary".
"Obviously you never expect to get to be told that you have cancer at 23," she said. The diagnosis necessitated major surgery, an eight-hour procedure known as a total thyroidectomy, where her entire thyroid gland and approximately 19 lymph nodes were removed.
The terrifying risk to her voice
For the actress, the most daunting aspect was the potential impact on her voice. The surgery required surgeons to navigate delicate nerves connected to her voice box. Abela recalled having to sign a form acknowledging the risk of permanent vocal damage. "That was the scariest thing," she confessed. "I remember when I woke up, the first thing I did was go, 'maaa', because I just wanted to make sure I could talk."
Her treatment journey was made even more isolating as it unfolded during Covid-19 restrictions, forcing her to go into the hospital alone. Due to a lack of intensive care beds, she recovered in a burns unit, a period she summarised as "bleak".
Recovery, support, and career triumphs
Abela also worried about the visible scar on her neck and its implications for her acting career. However, she has since gone from strength to strength. She married actor Jamie Bogyo in 2025, whom she credited as an "immense help" and "the most supportive person in every way" throughout her ordeal.
Professionally, she won a Bafta for Best Actress in 2025 for her role as Yasmin Kara-Hanani in the hit BBC drama Industry. Her film credits include Barbie (2023), She Is Love (2022), and she starred as Amy Winehouse in the 2024 biopic Back To Black.
The full interview detailing Marisa Abela's personal health battle and recovery is available on the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast.
