BBC presenter Maryam Moshiri reveals she has incurable blood cancer
BBC news presenter Maryam Moshiri has revealed that she has incurable blood cancer as she opens up about going through ‘gruelling treatment’.
The 49-year-old, who has worked at the BBC since 2003, said she was diagnosed with Polycythaemia vera (PV) in November 2024.
PV is a rare type of cancer that affects the bone marrow and causes the body to make too many red blood cells, making the blood thicker than normal.
The cancer doesn’t have a cure but can be treated to make it manageable.
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In an interview with The Times, the mum-of-three opened up about the treatment she has received since her diagnosis and admitted that it can be gruelling.
She said: “During my worst times when I was going through really quite gruelling treatment, I wasn’t there for my kids.
“I’d be lying on the sofa, and my son would say, ‘mummy, can you come play football with me in the garden?’ And you just can’t. You’re too tired.”
Despite undergoing regular treatment, which involves having blood removed to bring her red blood cell count down, Moshiri continues to work at the BBC and doesn’t shy away from long days and tough situations.
She explained: “I love what I do. I love being where the story is. I don’t want to allow blood cancer to stop me from doing my work.”
Opening up about working in Rome following the death of Pope Francis, she continued: “I was working 14-hour days, constantly on air, constantly having to think on my feet, and holding it together, despite the fact that I had this chronic tiredness and fatigue.
“When you’re doing live news, you have this rush of adrenaline, and you just have to get on with it.”
However, her condition can leave her exhausted and unsure of the future.
Speaking to the BBC, she said: "Even though I feel the best I have in two years, I don't know how I'm going to be in six months, one year, two years.
"People with PV have a higher chance of stroke, heart attack or DVT, so it's something I always have be aware of and make sure I mitigate."
Moshiri is a familiar face on the BBC having reported on some of the biggest stories in recent years, including the coronation of King Charles and heading to Qatar at the start of the US-Israel war with Iran.
In 2023, she went viral after cheekily giving the middle finger live on air during the world feed of BBC News at 12 noon before swiftly moving back into professional mode and continuing with the broadcast.
She’s now backing a campaign called Here for This, by Blood Cancer UK, which aims to bring attention to all the things those living with cancer miss due to their illness.
Helen Rowntree, chief executive of Blood Cancer UK, said: "We're so grateful to Maryam for bravely sharing her story. When public figures speak openly about their diagnosis, it cuts through the silence that so often surrounds blood cancer – the UK's fifth most common cancer and third biggest cancer killer."
Claire Reid