Alex Kingston said she almost missed her uterine cancer symptoms after putting the ‘bloating and weight gain’ down to ‘ageing.’
The actress, 62, was diagnosed with the disease in May last year and subsequently underwent a hysterectomy and radiation therapy.
Now, Alex has told of hoe she ‘wasn’t reading the signs’ as she thought it was just ‘part and parcel’ of turning 60.
Speaking in the April issue of Prima, she recalled the shock of finding out she had uterine cancer after missing the symptoms.
Alex said: ‘I hadn’t realised that uterine cancer was a cancer that didn’t get much airtime.
‘I think it’s probably because on the whole, it is a cancer where if you recognise something is wrong, your body is able to tell you. And if it’s caught early enough, it is survivable.’
Alex Kingston said she almost missed her uterine cancer symptoms after putting the ‘bloating and weight gain’ down to ‘ageing’
The actress, 62, was diagnosed with the disease in May last year and subsequently underwent a hysterectomy and radiation therapy
She continued: ‘Because I’m such a positive person, even though my body was trying to tell me that something was very wrong, I wasn’t reading the signs.
‘I thought that all the things such as the bloating and weight gain, or injuries not healing properly, were because of my age. I thought, “This is what it’s like to be in your 60s, and it’s just part and parcel of getting older.”
‘It was only when I was doing a play and I started haemorrhaging on stage that I realised, “Oh there’s something going on.”
‘But even then, I thought maybe I’d got a burst fibroid. I never, ever went down the cancer road, so it was a shock.’
Alex, who was starring in The Other Boleyn Girl at the West Sussex theatre in April and May last year, waited until her run in the play was over before seeking medical treatment and was told doctors found cancer in her fallopian tubes, but it hadn’t spread to her ovaries.
After overcoming the disease Alex went on to sign for Strictly Come Dancing where she was partnered with Johannes Radebe.
The mother-of-one explained that while battling cancer took up a ‘huge part’ of her life, she now feels like ‘Superwoman.’
The actress explained that by continuing her journey on the show, she aims to show others that no matter what challenges you face, it’s possible to keep moving forward.
Alex said: ‘I thought, “This is what it’s like to be in your 60s, and it’s just part and parcel of getting older”‘
She continued: ‘Because I’m such a positive person, even though my body was trying to tell me that something was very wrong, I wasn’t reading the signs’
Speaking to The Mirror she also encouraged people who are facing difficulties to live their lives fully, and reminded them that it’s important to ‘take every moment’ and ‘enjoy it’ because life only gives us one shot.
Alex was the eighth celebrity to be voted off the competition in November, after making numerous mistakes during her performance.
The actress and her professional partner Johannes went head-to-head with EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal and Julian Callion, who survived the dance-off for a record fifth time.
Anton decided to save Alex and Johannes, however Craig, Motsi and Shirley all agreed to save Balvinder and Julian, and therefore securing Balvinder’s place in the quarter final.
After the results, Alex told presenter Tess Daly just how much she’s loved the show and journey, she said: ‘I had never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would last this long.
‘It’s been just the most incredible journey for me. I feel quite proud of myself because I’ve loved the process, I mean 100%, you can tell by my smile..
‘Everyone always says that their dance partner is a friend for life, but JoJo really will be.’
The April 2026 issue of Prima is now on sale
