BBC Countryfile’s Julia Bradbury shares end of life confession after cancer news

The former Watchdog host was diagnosed with breast cancer during lockdown back in 2020.

Julia Bradbury has revealed she has quit alcohol for good (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)

Countryfile host Julia Bradbury has opened up about one lifestyle change she has made to her diet in a bid to prevent cancer from returning. The 55-year-old TV presenter was diagnosed with breast cancer during lockdown. In 2021, she underwent a single mastectomy back in 2021 to remove a tumour.

Since then, Julia has completely given up alcohol, something that she says some people find “infuriating”. In an interview with The Times last year, she revealed that doctors warned her that every drink above a certain limit significantly increases the likelihood of the cancer returning, admitting that “death looked me in the eyes”.

She told the publication: “I get a lot of pushback on social media about this. People go, ‘I was healthy, I go to the gym, I got cancer, and now it’s metastasised, and I’ve got secondary cancer. So, are you blaming me for my illness? No. All I’m saying is, this is what I went through. It was a wake-up call, and it made me look at life differently.

“It made me prioritise my sleep, emotional health, and gave me more time for my loved ones. If I drink more than four units of alcohol a week, my risk of recurrence goes up by 28 per cent. But people find me giving up drinking infuriating.”

Her health condition took a hit on her confidence and her bank balance, and forced her to rethink her approach to life as a whole. She reflected: “I am very, very fortunate, and overall, I’m having a wonderful life.

“But I’ve had a cancer diagnosis, both my parents have had cancer, I’ve lost people along the way, I’ve had financial worries, I’ve had to reinvent myself, and I’m not 100 per cent happy all of the time – of course not.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2020 (Image: ITV)

“But you can get through things, you can overcome hardships, and I like to think that’s what I do.” The broadcaster has also been open about questioning whether her relentless pace is sustainable in the future.

Bradbury went on: “I do have a fearless streak. But recently I’ve had a doctor reframe that for me. He said, ‘This drive that you have – you’re running on a credit card. You can push through all sorts of things. But is that the best thing for you?’

“I realised you don’t have to win every race. You don’t have to overcome everything. I don’t want to max out the credit card.” Thankfully, Julia received the all-clear but still continues with routine check-ups every year.

She explained: “I wasn’t close to death, but death looked me in the eyes. So I am more focused on my health than I ever have been. I don’t drink, I eat a healthy diet, and exercise every day.

The TV presenter now lives a healthy lifestyle to prevent cancer from returning (Image: Daily Record)

“When I came home from my mastectomy, I promised I would spend time outside every day, and that is my mantra, however poor it might be in this winter.” The presenter now dedicates as much quality time as possible to her three children: 13-year-old Zephyr and her 10-year-old twin daughters Xanthe and Zena.”

She gushed: “I really revel in being present with them and doing things with them that are nourishing and enriching – not big things, just being with them and spending time with them is really, really important.”

The broadcaster, whose career has spanned roles from GMTV’s Los Angeles correspondent to primetime shows including Watchdog, admitted she previously lacked equilibrium in her life before her cancer battle.