Kath and Kim star: I have cancer
'It's rough,' says Magda Szubanski
Australian comedian Magda Szubanski, best known for her roles in Kath & Kim, has revealed she has an aggressive form of blood cancer.
In a video posted on social media, the 64-year-old said she had been diagnosed with a ‘very rare, very aggressive, very serious lymphoma’.
She said: ‘I won't sugar-coat it: it's rough. But I'm hopeful.’
The comic, who also appeared in the Babe films as Esme Hoggett, praised the ’absolutely world-class care’ she was getting in Melbourne, adding: ‘I'm being lovingly cared for by friends and family, my medical team is brilliant, and I've never felt more held by the people around me.’
She said she had stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that begins in the lymphatic system and is undergoing the Nordic protocol of chemotherapy,
Szubanski wrote on Instagram: 'I’ll be lying very low while my immune system takes a hammering, so if you see me out and about—don’t hug me, kiss me, or breathe anywhere near me! Wave enthusiastically from a safe distance and know I love you madly.
This is an obscure cancer and was only discovered incidentally via a breast screen where they found my lymph nodes were up.
TBH, I’ve been feeling pretty ratshit for ages. So I asked for extra bloods and - voila!So the take away is - get tested and listen to your body!
'For now, just know I’m in good hands, good spirits—but I reserve my yuman right to be a cranky old moll.'
Szubanski was born in Liverpool but moved to Australia with her family when she was five.
Her big break came in 1989 as part of the Fast Forward TV sketch show on TV, which she followed with work on Big Girl's Blouse alongside Gina Riley and Jane Turner, who went on to created Kath & Kim. The sitcom featured Szubanski as a Kath’s friend Sharon Strzelecki, an alter-ego Szubanski first created for Big Girl's Blouse.
The comic later had a recurring role as Jemima Davies-Smythe on Neighbours – a character who officiated the first same-sex wedding on Australian television.
She has spoken about her struggles with anxiety and suicidal ideation in her teens, and has been an activist for LGBT rights and against far-shaming.
Published: 29 May 2025
