BBC music and film critic Rhianna Dhillon has announced she is battling ovarian cancer and has undergone a full hysterectomy. The 37-year-old shared the news in an emotional Instagram post from her hospital bed.
Diagnosis and surgery
Dhillon revealed she received her diagnosis two weeks ago and had surgery last Friday. She posted an image of herself lying in bed wearing a hospital gown, captioning it: "Here we go again!"
The star, who tested positive for the BRCA1 gene nine years ago, had previously announced in June 2023 that she had started the process of undergoing a preventative double mastectomy.
Emotional message
"Even knowing I was at a much higher risk of getting ovarian cancer because of my BRCA1 genetic mutation, I wasn’t expecting to get it QUITE so young. I thought I had more time," she said.
"I keep thinking of Blondie – despite me taking preventative measures with a double mastectomy, one way or another… this was always gonna get me. I got my diagnosis two weeks ago, and my surgery was on Friday, so I haven’t quite been able to process everything yet," she admitted.
Dhillon described the hysterectomy as "an absolute full stop on one part of my life I definitely wasn’t ready to say goodbye to and the start of a stage of life that I really didn’t want to have to think about for another 15 years."
Treatment and support
The critic said the next six months "are also looking very chemo-y," adding that her film awards season will look different, though she plans to continue working: "I’m still going to work, so please don’t write me off just yet."
She thanked her support network, saying: "My mum, dad and brother, who have stepped into action so quickly and have been there for every appointment, overnight stay, hysterical phone call – I love you, and I’m so thankful for you and to all my family who have immediately been in touch to offer help and support, thank you."
Addressing friends, she wrote: "My dearest, best friends. The love you have shown me. The messages, the consistent showing up, the voice notes, the tokens of love, you have no idea how much you have kept me together, even when I’ve felt so utterly broken."
She concluded with a light-hearted note about the morphine she was on in the photo, admitting she greeted her surgeon post-operation with "IT’S MY MAIN MAN MIKE!!"
