Antiques Roadshow's Theo Burrell shares tragic terminal cancer update

Antiques Roadshow star Theo Burrell has issued a heartbreaking update on her devastating terminal cancer diagnosis, as she reflected on what could be her 'last Christmases with her family'. 

The Edinburgh-based ceramics expert, 38, lifted the lid on her health and 'how she's feeling about things' in a candid new article for The Sunday Times.

She wrote: 'At 38, I'm facing the reality this could be one of the last Christmases my four-year-old son Jonah and my partner, Alex, will share with me...

'One week before Christmas when other families will be decorating the tree and picking up their last bits of festive shopping, I will discover whether this growth poses a risk to my life.'

Theo explained that she has already outlived her prognosis, which is 12 to 18 months for someone with the type of brain tumour she has - glioblastoma. 

She continued: 'I feel healthy physically - I'm still meeting friends and campaigning for the charity - but I can't say I'm not frightened.'

Taking to Instagram to share the article with her followers, Theo added: 'Yesterday The Sunday Times included an article by @edhalford_10 about my health and how I'm feeling about things. 

'It continues to be a bit of a difficult time as I wait to find out what my scan in December shows.

'My paranoia about every ache and pain being cancer progression is pretty exhausting, but it's a reality of living with brain cancer - as many of you will already know and experience.'

She bravely continued: 'However, in the spirit of positivity, since my last medical appointments I've celebrated Jonah's birthday, held a whisky fundraiser, been to a wedding, and attended three birthday parties. 

'Not to mention all the washing I've hung up, dishwashers I've emptied and dinners I've cooked, which truth be told, are all important to me - because they're the 'normal' things that I'm grateful I'm still able to do. 

'There's nothing like incurable cancer to make you really appreciate every aspect of life!'

Theo was diagnosed in 2022 and given a two-year life expectancy after medics discovered an aggressive grade four glioblastoma - originally dismissed by her GP as the result of juggling motherhood with a busy work schedule.

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Despite months of gruelling treatment to shrink the tumour down to just ten percent of its original size, earlier this year Theo heartbreakingly revealed that her glioblastoma had started regrowing.

She wrote: 'Although this was always an inevitably it has been a difficult couple of weeks for me and my family, as we deal with the news and await a treatment plan.

'I am extremely grateful for having had such a good quality of life over the last two years, and I intend to take on the next step of my journey with everything I've got.

'If anything this has just fueled my fire to keep fighting for us all. We, as a community, as patients, as carers, as family and friends of those who have or have had a brain tumour, quite frankly deserve a lot better!'

The presenter later added: 'My most recent scan has now been reviewed by a multi disciplinary team who feel that a wait and watch approach is best, based on what they can see in the images, and how I am feeling. 

'Therefore, I will be rescanned again in December and we will move forward from there. In the meantime I'm going to take each day as it comes and enjoy what I can.'

Before this, in February, she admitted she was still struggling with many of her early symptoms, promoting fears of a regrowth. 

WHAT IS A GLIOBLASTOMA?

Glioblastomas are the most common cancerous brain tumours in adults.

They are fast growing and likely to spread. 

Glioblastomas' cause is unknown but may be related to a sufferer's genes if mutations result in cells growing uncontrollably, forming a tumour.

Treatment is usually surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible, followed by a combination of radio- and chemotherapy (chemoradiation).

It can be difficult to remove all of the growth as glioblastomas have tendrils that extend to other regions of the brain. These are targeted via chemoradiation. 

Glioblastomas are often resistant to treatment as they are usually made up of different types of cells. Therefore, medication will kill off some cells and not others. 

The average survival time is between 12 and 18 months.

Source: The Brain Tumour Charity

Captioning a photo of Pip, her pet Jack Russell, she wrote: 'So my recent trips away are definitely catching up with me - do not let my photos fool you, the fatigue, the headaches, the nausea, the dizziness are all still there, and when I'm tired these symptoms/side effects really make themselves known.

'I spend many hours worrying about each and every one of these issues because let's face it, when you've got cancer, regrowth is always on your mind.

'So if you know these feelings and live with this fear, just know, you're not alone. And it's not always a sign of something sinister, sometimes you're just absolutely exhausted and carrying a lot on your shoulders.'

Speaking in 2023, Burrell admitted she struggled to cope with the abrupt transition that came with her cancer diagnosis.

'Suddenly I'd gone from being a healthy person in the middle of my life with a new baby to having incurable cancer with maybe one or two years left to live,' she said.

'Although I continue to make the best of each day, my tumour will return and it will kill me. My care has been excellent and new advances in science have helped me so far.

'However, only by funding research into brain cancer can we get closer to a life-saving cure.'

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common, malignant brain tumour diagnosed in adults. 

It develops from glial cells, which are found in the brain and spinal cord. There is no known cause.

Treatment usually involves surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible without damaging healthy tissue; followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Glioblastomas always grow back.

In the UK every year, 16,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour, with just 12 per cent surviving beyond five years, compared with an average of 54 per cent across all cancers.

Burrell graduated from the University of Glasgow with an MA in history and then an MLitt in decorative arts.

The antiques expert has been working at Edinburgh based Lyon & Turnbull since 2011, although her career at the auctioneers began in her teens where she spent summers working as a viewing staff member.

She specialises in European ceramics and glass, fine furniture and works of decorative art from 1860, tribal art and taxidermy.

Her first appearance on Antiques Roadshow came in 2018. She previously described her 'dream find' as a 'beautiful and rare' 16th century maiolica dish by Italian ceramist Francesco Xanto Avelli.