Countdown star Susie Dent shares terrifying cancer scare after tell-tale sign

28 September 2023 , 10:45

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Susie Dent's make-up artist spotted a mark under her eye (Image: Rachel Joseph/ Channel 4)

Countdown star Susie Dent has shared her experience of a cancer scare, which was brought to her attention by her make-up artist who noticed a persistent 'cut' under her eye.

The lexicographer, best known for her long-standing role in Countdown's Dictionary Corner, discussed the incident on Virgin Radio's breakfast show with Chris Evans, who himself recently disclosed his own skin cancer diagnosis and treatment. Susie, 58, admitted that she initially dismissed concerns about the mark on her face.

It was only when her make-up artist urged her to seek medical advice that she discovered the carcinoma had been present for approximately a year. Speaking publicly about her health scare for the first time, she told Chris: "I had one under my eye, a few years ago now. And it just felt like a little cut. So it was a kind of linear one and just wouldn't heal. And I just kept putting lots of different cream on it."

Susie Dent has opened up about her own cancer scare

She continued: "So, I had it for too long. I had it for about a year. My GP said, 'I'm going to say the word carcinoma, but don't panic'. And then they took it off, they kind of excised it. So, I've got a bit of a kind of scar under my eye." However, the television personality reassured fans about her current health status and expressed gratitude towards her makeup artist for prompting her to get checked out.

She said: "This one doesn't spread, so we were really lucky. I genuinely just thought, 'I have cut my eye', and I didn't think about it from one week to the next. And it was my makeup artist that said, 'I think you should get that checked out.'" Susie further explained the appearance of the carcinoma, cautioning listeners to "beware", as they don't always resemble moles but can sometimes appear as cuts on the skin that refuse to heal.

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Chris also had a positive outcome from his skin cancer treatment, having only disclosed his diagnosis in August. In early September, he informed his social media followers that he was celebrating receiving the all-clear on his cancer following successful treatment.

Chris had mentioned that his cancer had been detected early and shared an image of the scar post-removal, however, the avid runner expressed disappointment at being advised not to run for a month after the surgery.

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Daniel Bird