BBC presenter Lauren Laverne has announced she has been diagnosed with smouldering myeloma, a rare blood and bone marrow disorder, less than two years after recovering from cancer. The Desert Island Discs host, 48, was given the all-clear in November 2024.
Laverne shares health update on Instagram
In a post on Instagram on July 17, 2026, Laverne explained to her followers that she has been diagnosed with a chronic condition. She wrote: “I’ve been diagnosed with something called smouldering myeloma (yes that is a weird name and no I’d never heard of it either). It’s an asymptomatic blood and bone marrow disorder that in some people can develop into blood cancer.”
She added: “Thankfully for me the risk of this happening in my case is pretty low. At the moment I feel OK and don’t need treatment. Most people my age who have it have no idea – it tends to be cancer survivors like me who are diagnosed early as we’re so carefully monitored.”
No cure but low risk of progression
Laverne clarified that the diagnosis is unrelated to her previous illness or recent surgery, calling it “just one of those things.” She noted there is no cure and that her immune system is “a bit compromised.” As a result, she will be monitored closely with blood tests, MRIs, and bone marrow biopsies, which she described as “even less fun than they sound.”
In her caption, she joked: “I call it Smouldering Mye. Sounds more like a drag queen.” The post has drawn support from fans and colleagues. Laverne continues to work as a presenter for BBC Radio 6 Music and Desert Island Discs.
