Strictly star Russell Grant has opened up about his TV break after having a brain tumour removed.
At the end of last year, Russell revealed he’d had a pituitary gland tumour removed from his brain at the end of 2022. Now he’s thanked his fans for their love and support during what he has called “dark times”.
Russell won the hearts of the nation when he appeared on Strictly Come Dancing back in 2011. Paired with Flavia Cacace, he was the seventh celebrity to exit the show. So loved was the star that he returned to the Christmas special in 2014. It had a panto theme and saw Russell paired with Joanne Clifton.
Now, however, Russell has revealed he’s taking a break from his TV work to get himself back to his best.
Strictly star Russell Grant recovering after brain tumour
Taking to TikTok this week, the 73-year-old astrologer addressed why he hasn’t been on TV for a while. Sharing a clip from a trip to the seaside, Russell said: “Many of you have asked why I came off telly for a while.
“Well the answer is I had a brain tumour. I won’t go into it now, I just want you to take in the sunshine and the sea.”
He then promised: “I’ll tell you all about it another time.”
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Afternoon pals, I’ve had many a person ask me why I’ve not been on telly for a while so I’ve posted this on Tik Tok just now … for those who don’t know I’ll tell my story in bite size pieces thanks for being there and seeing me through this dark time, folks pic.twitter.com/TYshACc8gq
— Russell Grant (@THERussellGrant) October 7, 2024
‘Six-month recovery period’
Speaking to The Mirror in November 2023, Russell revealed he had undergone an op to remove a pituitary gland tumour.
Scans and tests revealed the tumour was benign. However, it was pressing on his optic nerve. This meant that, without surgery, he would lose his sight. As a result, Russell endured a five-hour operation to remove the tumour, at the base of his brain. He said his brain surgeon and an ear, nose and throat surgeon worked together to remove the tumour through his nostril using “a tiny ice cream scoop”.
“It’s reminded me that every day is precious and every day I need to do something that is important – not just for me but for the wider world,” he said.
Russell added that things were looking “brighter” for him, but he was to expect a “six-month recovery period”.
In July this year, Russell revealed that it looked as if his Type 2 diabetes had returned as a result of the tumour. He had been given steroids to recover following the operation and was having tests to see if taking those had triggered a recurrence of his diabetes.
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