Former Strictly Come Dancing star Dr Punam Krishan has revealed she cried in her car, bed and shower after being diagnosed with breast cancer five months ago. The 42-year-old, known for her appearances on BBC's Morning Live, announced her diagnosis on Instagram on Sunday (January 4) and spoke about her experience on Friday's episode of the programme.
Dr Punam said: 'I had my wonderful husband, my family, I had a small host of friends I trusted that allowed me the space to crumble and fall apart when I needed to. I cried a lot, I cried in the car, I cried in bed, cried in the shower.' She added that nature became her biggest comfort and her dog helped her get out for walks every day.
The GP, who was eliminated from Strictly in 2024 alongside professional dancer Gorka Marquez, said she has completed treatment and is now 'healing, grateful, relieved' but 'still shaken'. She emphasised that recovery continues after treatment, saying: 'Once you've come out of the treatment, that isn't the end of it... you've got this newfound sense of identity.'
Dr Punam praised the NHS for her care, saying: 'I am so blessed to have had the best NHS treatment... my GP was incredible, she listened, she referred me, I was put on the urgent cancer pathway.' She now feels she has a deeper understanding of what patients go through, adding: 'I'm looking forward to just getting back to really holding my patients again with a newfound like, 'I get it, I get it'.'
