EastEnders icon Samantha Womack shares heartfelt admission about breast cancer battle
Former EastEnders actress Samantha Womack has revealed how her breast cancer diagnosis fundamentally transformed her perspective on life after a worrying moment where she realised she had almost caught it too late.
The 52-year-old, who was diagnosed in August 2022 and announced she was cancer-free in December that year, spoke from her home in Spain’s Valencia mountains about her newfound enlightenment.
“I feel so much more enlightened,” the Brighton-born star said. “I know myself better, I feel humbler, I feel calmer.”
Womack underwent extensive treatment including a lumpectomy, lymph node removal, chemotherapy and radiotherapy after discovering she had a fast-spreading Grade 3 invasive duct carcinoma. The diagnosis came after a private check-up prompted by intuition, despite having no visible symptoms.
“I felt perfectly fine. There was no discolouration of skin, dimpling, irritation,” she recalled.
The actress has dramatically reduced her workload since completing treatment, a decision that has come with significant financial consequences.
“After my year-and-a-half of treatment, I started turning down a lot of stuff – and I didn’t have the bank balance to match that confidence, trust me,” Womack admitted.
She described the tension between her newfound boundaries and economic reality. She said: “It was me saying the word ‘no’ and my bank account creaking.”
The financial pressures are particularly acute given the nature of acting work. “Soaps pay very, very well, but the reality of being self-employed means that, yes, you get paid for the jobs you do, but for the six months of the year you don’t work, you don’t get paid,” she explained. “I’ve never been a wealthy person.”
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Womack has become a passionate advocate for women’s breast health awareness, particularly concerning breast density and its impact on screening accuracy.
As the stepdaughter of a GP, she extensively researched the subject after her diagnosis.
“I was just on the cusp of catching it too late and the speed with which I had to process information was unbearable. I sometimes think, ‘What if I hadn’t gone to that appointment?'” she reflected.
Her research revealed that dense breast tissue, containing more fibroglandular tissue, increases cancer risk whilst making tumours harder to detect on mammograms. She now urges women to prioritise their health.
“We all live in busy worlds and tend to put these little niggles to one side,” Womack said. “I’m an avid lover of the NHS, but if something is worrying you and you have the money to go and get yourself checked, why would you not?”
Womack’s personal life has also undergone significant changes, with the actress spending considerable time alone at her Spanish home whilst her partner, actor Oliver Farnworth, 42, divides his time between Spain and the UK for his role as John Sugden in Emmerdale.
“He comes back for two or three days at a time, but is filming a lot at the moment. That’s been quite good for me, having some space on my own,” she explained.
The couple have discussed adoption as a potential path to parenthood.
“We’ve talked about adopting, because after the cancer treatment I wouldn’t be able to conceive naturally and because of my age,” Womack revealed.
However, she appears content to wait for grandchildren from her two children, Benjamin, 24, and Lili-Rose, 20.