Celebrity Big Brother’s Trisha Goddard reveals how she kept cancer secret for 19 months and not even her TV bosses knew

CELEBRITY Big Brother's Trisha Goddard has revealed how she kept her cancer a secret for 19 months - and not even her TV bosses knew.

Trisha, 67, was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer in 2023, having first got the disease in 2008.

Trisha Goddard looking surprised while sitting on a couch.
5
Celebrity Big Brother’s Trisha Goddard has opened up about her terminal cancer diagnosisCredit: Instagram @ beginagain
Trisha Goddard in a hospital bed.
5
Trisha revealed how she kept her terminal cancer diagnosis a secretCredit: Instagram
Two women looking at a phone while laughing.
5
Trisha opened up to Davina McCall on her podcastCredit: Instagram @ beginagain
AJ Odudu, Trisha Goddard, and Will Best hosting a TV show.
5
Trisha entered the Celebrity Big Brother house on Monday nightCredit: Rex

The popular presenter - who is currently living in the Celebrity Big Brother along with a other famous faces - was told two years ago that her cancer had reached staged four.

However, she waited until last year to break the news of her terminal diagnosis.

In February 2024, she told fans: "It's not going to go away."

She continued: "And with that knowledge comes grief, and fear.

Read More on Trisha

"But I must keep enjoying what I have always enjoyed."

It has since been revealed she'd actually been given her heartbreaking diagnosis 19 months before, but chose to keep it private so she could "process" it.

Speaking on the brand new episode of Davina McCall’s Begin Again podcast, she explained more and said: "I wasn't going to tell anybody until I was ready.

"That meant, those people at the wedding only knew after the wedding and nobody knew until…. you know Princess Catherine came out about hers.”

“My colleagues at CNN didn’t know. They didn't know I was having chemo every bloody week.

"Literally one time I got off the table from radiation treatment, went straight to work. They thought I was mad.”

GMB fans praise Trisha Goddard for hosting debut as they demand presenter shake-up

“I didn't have a day of work, not a single day. And nobody knew for 19 months. Nobody knew."

LIVING LIFE TO THE FULL

When Trisha entered the Celebrity Big Brother house on Monday night, she shared how her diagnosis has made her want to "keep living life to the fullest".

Speaking to hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best on launch night, she said: "It's my new normal.

"I'm going into the Big Brother house to show you can't be so scared of dying that you become frightened of living." 

Trisha Goddard holding hands with another person.
5
Trisha has stage four breast cancerCredit: Instagram @ beginagain

CANCER TREATMENT

It's also been revealed how Trisha is receiving cancer treatment while in the CBB house.

Speaking to The Mirror ahead of her TV stint, she spoke about how her oncologist is working alongside the Big Brother team.

"I've got a special therapist who's happy to work with the medic on the show," she explained.

She then said: "My palliative care team - and when I say that word everybody screams and runs away, but it's symptom treatment - is working with the team here too.

"And then when it comes to my treatment, I had one infusion on Monday, so I've got to jump on a plane and go straight back to have the next one as soon as the show is over."

Trisha then spoke about the "bag full of meds" that she is taking in the house with her.

Read More on The Sun

She also revealed how her oncologist has planned her treatment around the production schedule.

Trisha also has her own room in the Celebrity Big Brother house to keep her has comfortable as possible.

Celebrity Big Brother 2025 line-up

Celebrity Big Brother is back for a brand new series, with a whole host of stars set to live it up in the famous compound.

Here's the FULL line-up of star housemates:

Trisha Goddard - Talk show host

Mickey Rourke - Hollywood actor

Donna Preston - comedian and TV star

JoJo Siwa - influencer and singer

Chris Hughes - Love Island hunk 

Jack P. Shepherd -  Coronation Street star 

Patsy Palmer - EastEnders legend

Daley Thompson - Olympic athlete

Chesney Hawkes - 90s singer

Ella Rae Wise - Towie star

Michael Fabricant - former Tory politician 

Angellica Bell - former CBBC presenter

Danny Beard - Drag queen and Britain's Got Talent