Sue Perkins reveals health diagnosis that left her feeling ‘destroyed’

Broadcaster and comedian Sue Perkins has revealed that she was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour in 2015.

The presenter, 51, said she didn’t realise she was suffering from the condition until she underwent a health screening as part of a show she was working on at the time, Supersizers.

Examinations showed that Perkins had a tumour situated on her pituitary gland. Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Perkins said the diagnosis “destroyed” her and that she went through a “very dark time” after learning of the news.

Perkins explained: “I have been through a very, very dark time since the tumour started to make its presence felt. Sometimes it’s big and makes me mad, and sometimes it’s small and is in the background.”

Perkins says she had tests to check on the side effects of the tumour, some of which revealed that the tumour had caused “epic destruction” in her body.

She continued: “It’s only really now that I consider the epic destruction this tiny little rice-shaped thing in my pituitary gland has caused. Sometimes it screws up my hormones. I have various tests now to make sure the side effects aren’t too onerous.”

“I don’t know if I would have gone on to have children, but as soon as someone says you can’t have something, you want it more than anything.”

Recently, Perkins was unveiled as the new host of BBC Radio 4’s panel show Just a Minute.

The announcement follows the death of previous host Nicholas Parsons. Parsons had presented Just a Minute from 1967 until shortly before he died aged 96 in January 2020.

“I’m beyond delighted to be asked to host this most legendary of shows,” said Perkins, who is best known as an original presenter of The Great British Bake Off alongside Mel Giedroyc.

Speaking about replacing Parsons, Perkins said: “Nicholas’s shoes are way too big to fill, but I shall bring my own shoes, and work my socks off in them to keep our listeners entertained.”