Sarah Beeny has revealed the heartbreaking moment she revealed to her four sons she had breast cancer.
The TV presenter and property expert, 50, was diagnosed three weeks ago and has already undergone her first chemotherapy appointment.
And in an interview, Sarah explained that she had a ‘little chat’ with her boys and that she ‘I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it’, before promising them she would be completely ‘honest’ with her illness.
Opening up: Sarah Beeny has revealed the heartbreaking moment she revealed to her four sons she had breast cancer
The Property Ladder presenter shares four sons Billy, 18, Charlie, 16, Rafferty, 14, and Laurie, 12, with her husband of 19 years Graham Swift.
Of the moment she broke the sad news, Sarah told The Telegraph: ‘My eldest came in and I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.
‘He said, “Are you all right? You haven’t got cancer or something, have you?”. I said, “Um, I have, actually”. He said, “Sorry?”. I said, “Yeah, I have”.
‘Then the others came in, we had a little chat and it was kind of fine. They just said, “You will be honest?,” and I said, “I promise you that I’m going to be around for a jolly long time yet”.’
Illness: The TV presenter and property expert, 50, was diagnosed three weeks ago and has already undergone her first chemotherapy appointment
Sarah’s honestly with her children comes after she wasn’t told of her mother’s illness, who died from breast cancer when Sarah was just 10-years-old.
Her mother Ann’s death deeply affected the TV star and her own illness has ‘opened a tinderbox of stuff’ that she’s ‘swept under the carpet’ for a long time.
And while Sarah didn’t want to make a ‘big deal’ about breaking her cancer news to her sons, she told how she considered not telling her husband of 19 years ‘so it didn’t seem real’.
She detailed how she got her test results alone because she ‘didn’t want him to’ come, adding that her actions were ‘weird in a way’.
Family: The Property Ladder presenter shares four sons Billy, 18, Charlie, 16, Rafferty, 14, and Laurie, 12, with her husband of 19 years Graham Swift
She continued: ‘There was a little moment where I thought, maybe I won’t tell anyone. I won’t even tell him. I don’t know why; maybe I thought if I did that it wouldn’t become real. That didn’t last very long.
‘But sometimes you have to find something inside yourself; you have to focus and centre to find your inner strength, and say, “Come on!” We all have our own coping mechanisms, don’t we, and mine is to kind of go into myself a bit and then come out.’
While Sarah has now decided to go public with her diagnosis, she revealed she would not be telling her father Richard, who suffered a stroke five years ago and now has ‘forgetfulness.’
Conversation: Sarah explained that she had a ‘little chat’ with her boys and that she ‘I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it’, before promising them she would be completely ‘honest’ with her illness (pictured in 2021)
Candid: ‘The others came in, we had a little chat and it was kind of fine. They just said, “You will be honest?,” and I said, “I promise you that I’m going to be around for a jolly long time yet”‘
Sarah’s mother Ann died of cancer at the age of 39 when Sarah was just 10-years-old and she confessed that she’s concerned her father would confuse the two.
Sarah will undergo a mastectomy and radiotherapy in the New Year and said she was ‘getting one step ahead’ of the disease by cutting her hair and donating it to a charity who provides free wigs to children with cancer.
Sarah admitted in an interview with The Telegraph that she had always suspected she would be diagnosed with the disease and had ‘waited 40 years to hear those words’ after her mother Ann died of cancer at the age of 39 when Sarah was just 10-years-old.
Sarah, who presents shows including Help! My House Is Falling Down and Sarah Beeny’s New Life In The Country, received the diagnosis after finding a lump which led to a biopsy.
Heartbreaking: She donated her hair after her first chemotherapy treatment, enlisting her sons Billy, 18, Charlie, 16, Rafferty, 14, and Laurie, 12, to make the cut
Charitable: Sarah said she was ‘getting one step ahead’ of the disease by cutting her hair and donating it to a charity who provides free wigs to children with cancer
She has been told the cancer has not spread and ‘there is an 80 percent chance of a cure.’
The star’s mother had breast cancer which spread to her brain and she died aged 39, when Beeny was 10.
Sarah admitted that she had ‘a little bit of a breakdown’ in the consultation room,’ but explained to the nurse: ‘You don’t understand. I have waited 40 years to hear those words. I knew I was going to hear it one day.’
Days after starting chemotherapy she decided to enlist her four sons, who she shares with her artist husband to help cut off her hair.
Loss: Sarah, 50, admitted that she has ‘waited 40 years to hear those words’ after her mother died of cancer at the age of 39 when Sarah was just 10-years-old (Sarah and her brother pictured with their mother)
She admitted that Billy, 18, Charlie, 16, Rafferty, 14, and Laurie, 12, are ‘not going to be famous hairdressers’ after the uneven cut.
She documented the moment in an Instagram post, writing: ‘A little pile of not very good condition hair on it’s way to @officiallittleprincesstrust – my trainee hairdressers cut off my hair on Friday night – getting one step ahead after first chemo treatment for breast cancer on Friday – the exclusive club you’d rather not be a member of!’
Despite her diagnosis, Sarah has said she will continue to work and is currently focused on a new Channel 4 series and book she has planned for later in the year.
Sarah has previously spoken openly about losing her mother at a young age, telling the Daily Mail in 2020: ‘Death is hard for a child to get their head around but I was close to Diccon [my brother] and my father, and you just get on with it.’
‘The only positive thing about losing her when I was so young is that, to me, she’ll always be entirely perfect.’
20 years on TV: Despite her diagnosis, Sarah has said she will continue to work and is currently focused on a new Channel 4 series and book (pictured on August 24)
Sarah’s four sons, who have formed a band, recently dedicated a song to her, with the proud mum taking to Instagram on Mother’s Day to share the track with fans.
The four boys have named their group Entitled Sons -a cheeky reference to their privileged upbringing.
The song, titled Unconditional sees the property mogul’s face on the front cover merged ‘creepily’ with her son Charlie’s.
A delighted Sarah was moved by their dedication, made with the help of their Father.
Captioning the post: ‘It was worth every moment when your sons write a song for you like this!! It’s on presale now and out next week #luckymother – link in my bio.’
The Macmillan Support Line is a free and confidential phone service for people living and affected by cancer. Call 0808 808 00 00 for support