Kirsty Gallacher has spoken candidly about living with an “inoperable” tumour, revealing she is set to undergo radiotherapy later this year.
The 49-year-old broadcaster, known for fronting Sky Sports News, GB News and now hosting the relaunched Gold Radio breakfast show, appeared on Tuesday’s edition of ITV’s Loose Women to discuss her health.
Gallacher was diagnosed with a benign acoustic neuroma – a rare type of tumour that grows on the nerve used for hearing and balance – in the summer of 2021. She later stepped back from her role at GB News after symptoms including severe tinnitus made broadcasting increasingly difficult.
Explaining how she first realised something was wrong, Gallacher told the panel: “A couple of years ago I woke up and I couldn’t really hear out of my right ear. I went to the doctor and it was a medical emergency. It took a while for them to work out what was going on.”
She continued: “It happens to many people, mine is in the inner ear canal and it’s very dangerous, so it’s basically inoperable for me.”
Gallacher said she is due to begin radiotherapy in November as the tumour has been growing and is now “pressing on the brain”. Doctors hope the treatment will shrink it.
Despite the challenges, the presenter said she feels “quite lucky” to have managed the condition for the past few years. However, she admitted it can affect her confidence in social settings.
“I just go home because I can’t hear… I do much more lip reading as well,” she said. “When I’m out I can find it quite upsetting.”
Gallacher also described the relentless nature of her tinnitus, calling it a “constant buzzing” that has become part of her everyday life. “The tinnitus won’t go, but I hope [the radiotherapy] will make me safe,” she added. “I’ve learnt to just not think about it, not focus on it. There is a lot of help out there.”
The mother-of-two concluded by stressing that while the diagnosis is daunting, she remains hopeful about the outcome of her treatment.
Loose Women airs on weekdays from 12:30pm on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
