BBC presenter Lauren Laverne announces rare blood disorder

Broadcaster and BBC presenter Lauren Laverne has publicly revealed she has been diagnosed with a rare, chronic blood and bone marrow disorder. The 48-year-old host of "Desert Island Discs" and BBC Radio 6 Music announced on Friday, July 17, 2026, that she has smouldering myeloma, an asymptomatic condition that can develop into blood cancer, though she emphasized the risk in her specific case is low.

Laverne shared the news in a detailed statement on Instagram, explaining her decision to go public despite being a private person. She wrote that one of the lessons from her recent health challenges is that talking about such issues helps others. The diagnosis comes less than two years after she was treated for cancer in August 2024 and received the all-clear that November. She clarified that this new condition is unrelated to her previous illness or a recent surgery, describing it as "just one of those things."

The disorder was detected after her general practitioner investigated her persistently low iron levels. Laverne expressed profound gratitude to her doctor, noting this is the second significant health issue he has identified early. She urged others to advocate for their own...