The Office star Lucy Davis recently shared the news that she had been diagnosed with ‘incurable’ breast cancer, and tragically confirmed it was ‘too late’ for chemotherapy
Lucy Davis was born into a family centred around entertainment(Image: Lucy Davis/Instagram)
Back in the early Noughties, Lucy Davis shot to fame playing bored receptionist Dawn Tinsley in The Office.
She was cast by show creator Ricky Gervais who has joined legions of fans in reaching out to the actress after she she shared the devastating news that she had been diagnosed with incurable cancer.
Lucy, 53, told fans she was ‘not scared but at peace.’ “Any grieving is for my family; it’s harder for them than on in me.”
Heartbreaking she said she will see her beloved dog, Gracie, “sooner than expected”.
Lucy was born on February 17, 1973, in Birmingham to comedian and former Golden Balls star, Jasper Carrott and his wife, Hazel Jackson. It’s fair to say that entertainment runs through Lucy’s blood, however she was determined to make it without her family connections.
Jasper has spoken consistently of his pride for Lucy, as she shared her comedy chops in The Office before landing a role in blockbuster Wonder Woman. To ensure Lucy was never hit with the ‘nepo baby’ tag, Jasper said he purposefully avoided interfering in her career.
While for a long time, Lucy used her mother’s maiden name of ‘Jackson’ to distance herself from her famous dad at auditions.
She had been ready to embrace the world of entertainment at an early age. Lucy was educated at the prestigious Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, which boasts alumni such as Naomi Campbell, Patsy Kensit and Sharon Osbourne.
However, Lucy wasn’t Jasper and Hazel’s only child; she has two sisters and a brother. In December 1997, Lucy underwent major surgery and had a kidney transplant following a diagnosis of kidney failure. It was her mother, Heather, who donated the kidney at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
At the time, the hospital said in a statement: “University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust has performed a living-related kidney transplant on the wife and daughter of Jasper Carrott.
“The operation, which took place at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on December 15 was from mother to daughter and both women are recovering well.” Meanwhile, Jasper released a statement saying: “This is a very private family affair.
“The family is very happy, and I hope that with the new code of conduct for journalists, the press will be sympathetic to our situation and will allow my wife and daughter to recuperate in private.” He later told the Mirror in 2018: “From personal experience, I can tell you that transplants give hope, relief and life to people who are desperate to receive them.
“If you can sign up to the transplant donor list, I can’t tell you how much it will be appreciated by patients and loved ones alike, desperate to get their lives back. It works, I can assure you!”
But several years later, around Christmas in 2005, Lucy was once again hospitalised after suffering from kidney failure. However, she made a full recovery after this health scare.
Speaking about her condition, Lucy told The Standard in 2012: “I’m reminded of the illness twice a day when I have to take my pills – 20 a day to stop my body rejecting my new kidney. Although I don’t wallow in what happened or think about what might have been. I know that I have been extremely fortunate.”
But her health concerns didn’t end there. While recovering from surgery, Licy was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Speaking to Diabetes UK, she said: “When you are first diagnosed…it can seem overwhelming and frightening…I’ve known people who allow their difficulties in life to define them. They say ‘Why me?’ But I have to say to myself ‘Why not me?’
“Many people deal with difficult challenges every day of their lives, and we are lucky that we have medicines and technology available to us that others didn’t many years ago.”
But in happier times, come December 9, 2006, Lucy tied the knot with actor Owain Yeoman at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Lucy was able to marry at the cathedral as her dad, Jasper, holds an OBE and the cathedral contains the chapel of the Order of the British Empire.
However, their marriage fell apart just five years later in January of 2011, with the couple eventually divorcing in October of the same year. Away from the spotlight, Lucy had also battled bulimia, which she said worsened around the time of her divorce.
It was her move to Hollywood in 2004 which saw Lucy’s health deteriorate again. Speaking in 2012, she said the previous years had been “rough,” adding: “It’s all to do with my lifelong obsession with weight and food. I’d diet for five days, then binge a week’s worth of food in one day. I had an insatiable craving to eat.”
But nine years ago, the actress said she was finally “at peace” with her body. On Tuesday, she took to Instagram, sharing a video of her ringing the “good luck” for cancer treatment bell. She said: “I’m not scared of whatever comes next. I’m at peace with it.”
Captioning her upload, Lucy said: “A year and a half ago, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, which has metastasised to my bones. Specifically to my spine, right hip, and my ribs. The cancer is incurable, and too late for chemo. The initial lump that I felt, wasn’t a ‘lump’ as such; rather a kind of hard spot. Really tiny. I almost didn’t bother getting it checked. So I guess I’m saying don’t ignore anything – get everything checked out.”
She continued: “As of now, I’m trying to live out whatever might be left of my life in as fun a way as I possibly can. I always like to find the teachable moments in anything negative that happens. And cancer has not disappointed in that regard; there’s a lot I have learned from it, and I’m grateful for that.
“As some of you will know, the pain can really be something else. Standing and walking for too long a time can be hard, and I need to use a wheelchair sometimes (so if you see me toddling around in one, feel free to give me a push!) The thing that has been most vital to me is humour. I asked my friends and family to make fun of me as much as possible (which they’re really good at), and most importantly of all to not treat me like a sick person. There’s nothing that will make you feel more unwell than being treated as if you’re unwell.
“I’m not scared of whatever comes next. I’m at peace with it. I’ll see my Gracie [her dog, who died in 2024] sooner than expected, and for me, leaving my physical body just means going home. Any and all grieving is for my family; it’s far harder for them than for me.”
The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.
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