Rising star Marisa Abela has shared a deeply personal health battle, revealing she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at the age of 23 and underwent major surgery during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The frightening diagnosis during lockdown
The actress, now 29 and best known for playing Yasmin in the BBC drama Industry, received her diagnosis in 2020. She initially went to hospital experiencing symptoms like brain fog, believing she had contracted Covid-19. Instead, tests revealed she had thyroid cancer, requiring immediate surgical intervention.
Speaking candidly on the How To Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast, Abela described the moment she was told the news as "very scary". She reflected on the bleakness of that period, compounded by the isolating realities of the pandemic.
The "scariest thing": risking her voice
Abela's primary fear ahead of the operation was the potential permanent loss of her voice. The procedure, a total thyroidectomy, involved an eight-hour operation to remove a tumour from her neck along with approximately 19 lymph nodes.
"That was the scariest thing," Abela admitted. "Because they had to go through a lot of nerves to get to my thyroid... I had to sign a form that said if they cut the nerve that’s attached to my voice box, I’m not going to sue them."
Her first conscious act after waking from the marathon surgery was to test her vocal cords. "I remember when I woke up, the first thing I did was go, 'maaa', because I just wanted to make sure I could talk," she recalled.
Recovery in a pandemic and life after cancer
The challenges of her treatment were magnified by the global health crisis. Abela had to enter the hospital alone for her surgery due to Covid-19 restrictions. Furthermore, a shortage of standard intensive care beds meant she recovered in a burns unit.
Beyond her voice, the actress worried about the visible scar on her neck and its potential impact on her acting career. She also faces ongoing hormonal management for life following the removal of her thyroid.
Abela credited her husband, actor Jamie Bogyo, whom she married in 2025, as an "immense help" and "the most supportive person in every way" throughout her ordeal.
Since her recovery, Abela's career has flourished. She won a BAFTA for Best Actress in 2025 for her role in Industry, starred in the blockbuster Barbie (2023), and led the Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black (2024). Her full interview is available on the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast.
