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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Nuray Bulbul

Adele Roberts' brave cancer journey as she wins Radio Times award

Radio DJ Adele Roberts has won the public-voted Radio Times moment of the year award for her emotional return to the Radio 1 airwaves following her bowel cancer announcement in October.

The 43-year-old who was diagnosed with bowel cancer last year, picked up the gong at the Audio and Radio Industry Awards (Arias) hosted by TV star Rylan Clark at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End on Tuesday.

Her award came days after she was honoured with the Diva Choice Award at the Awards ceremony inside London’s Waldorf Hilton Hotel. Roberts was called “a trailblazer in broadcasting, bringing lesbian visibility to the heart of Radio 1" at the annual ceremony, which aims to celebrate inspirational lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer women and non binary people.

Read more: Mum who was 'light in so many lives' dies days after her wedding

Since 2013, Roberts has been campaigning for LGBTQ rights, she shared her own coming out story on Radio 1’s Coming Out.

How is Roberts’ health today? Here’s everything we know.

Who is Adele Roberts?

Born in Southport, Roberts is a British broadcaster, reality TV personality and a DJ.

Roberts worked for BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2. Her best known television appearances were in Big Brother, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and Celebrity Coach Trip.

Roberts was a housemate in Big Brother 3. She came in seventh place after being evicted on 5 July 2002, seen by 7.1 million viewers.

Roberts joined the BBC in 2012 as part of the Radio 1 Xtra team, before moving to Radio 1 in 2015 to host the Early Breakfast Show. She took over the Weekend Breakfast programme earlier in 2021.

The eldest of six siblings, she was privately educated at Merchant Taylors' Girls' School in Merseyside. Roberts studied pharmacology at University of Leeds, where she joined Leeds Student Radio presenting a weekly mix show.

What type of cancer does Adele Roberts have?

In October 2021, Roberts announced that she was undergoing treatment for bowel cancer , having been diagnosed earlier in the month.

She made the announcement in a social media post where she was smiling, wearing a hospital gown and threw a thumbs up sign.

Earlier this year, Roberts shared that a tumour had been removed, she had had chemotherapy treatment and a Stoma, adding "I believe they've managed to remove all of the tumour, which is great news."

How is Adele Roberts today?

Roberts gave a health update on ITV's Lorraine last month. She explained she was confused about her problems with digestion and didn’t realise it was a result of cancer.

“It was stage two and about to be stage three," she said. "It was nearly spreading to my liver, but they got it in time. I’m on chemotherapy at the moment and I’m living my life to the full now.”

Roberts had her bowel removed last year and is currently going through chemotherapy. As part of her recovery, Roberts was also fitted with a stoma bag which the presenter named Audrey.

Girlfriend Kate Holderness, 37, recently posted a video documenting the radio star's painful experience with chemotherapy, showing her sobbing in the hospital. In other clips Roberts can be found struggling to walk up the stairs wearing a hospital robe and socks.

Despite the challenging chapter in Roberts’ life, she was able to celebrate all the good she has done for the LGBTQI community at the DIVA Awards.

For the latest LGBTQ+ news, sign up to the LGBTQ+ Bulletin here

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