Sky presenter Jacquie Beltrao reveals 'much nastier' new breast cancer

Sky News sports presenter Jacquie Beltrao today revealed her breast cancer has returned in a 'much nastier' form nearly seven years after she was first diagnosed.

The 55-year-old former Olympic gymnast said she found a 'tiny lump' during lockdown and went straight to doctors who diagnosed it as grade-three cancer.

Mother-of-three Mrs Beltrao, who has already had two rounds of chemotherapy and has another 14 to go, admitted the last four weeks had been a 'living nightmare'.

It comes seven years after she was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 for which she went through five gruelling cycles of chemotherapy in four months.

Speaking in a video posted to Twitter today, Mrs Beltrao said: 'So, during lockdown I took my own advice, did a check, found a tiny, tiny, little lump just here.

'Had it checked out and a biopsy straight away and it turns out it's grade three breast cancer, much nastier than the first one I had.

'I'm sharing this because it felt weird to be going back to work on Sky and being on social media and acting like everything was shiny, perfect and fun when it wasn't.'

Former Olympic gymnast Jacquie Beltrao said in a Twitter video today that she found a 'tiny lump' during lockdown and went straight to doctors who found it was a grade-three cancer

Sports presenter Jacquie Beltrao is pictured during a broadcast on Sky News this morning

Mrs Beltrao, who lives in South West London with her family, added: 'For the last four weeks, myself and my family have been walking through a living nightmare.

'But I am where I am. I've got a great medical team around me, my amazing family and all the support of my friends and I've just got to get on with it. And I am.

'I've done two chemos already, I've got 14 to go, I'm also on a keto diet, a dairy-free diet and I'm doing lots of alternative things like meditation because everyone knows how much I love my yoga.

'But if you've got any spare blessings or prayers I'll take those as well, and I'll see you in the morning.'

Grade three means the cancer has become larger than the lower stages and may have spread to the surrounding tissues and/or the lymph nodes.

Mrs Beltrao's broadcasting colleagues rallied round her with messages of support, including from ITV's Julie Etchingham who said she was 'always' praying for her.

Sky Sports presenter Geoff Shreeves tweeted: 'You know I always have your back and you always have my love and prayers. Now more than ever.'

And Isabel Webster of Sky News said: 'Nooooooo, this is SO unfair!! I'm so sorry you and your lovely lovely family have to go through this all over again We are all here for you every step of the way Jacqs - we love you.'

Sky News presenter Mrs Beltrao is pictured with her sons Jorge (left), 17, and Tiago (right), 19

Mrs Beltrao is pictured in January 2019 after undergoing an £11,000 facelift on Harley Street

Mrs Beltrao is mother to sons Tiago, 19, and Jorge, 17, and daughter Amelia, 21, with her Brazilian-born husband Eduardo.

Speaking last year, she revealed she had an £11,000 facelift at a clinic on London's Harley Street in December 2018 in an attempt to prolong her TV career.

She went under the knife because she also wanted to celebrate five years of being cancer-free following a battle with breast cancer and mastectomy.

During her recovery, Mrs Beltrao was prescribed Tamoxifen, which helps stop breast cancer cells from growing, but claimed it left her looking 'like a ghost'.