Great British Bake Off's Karen Wright Reveals Bowel Cancer Battle

Great British Bake Off contestant Karen Wright has announced she is battling colorectal cancer, commonly known as bowel cancer. Wright, who appeared on the Channel 4 series in 2018, shared the news in an emotional Instagram post on Monday.

In the post, Wright, 68, posted a photo from her hospital bed, smiling alongside her "friend for life" and former co-star Terry Hartill. She wrote that Hartill had traveled to visit her after her major surgery to "hold my hand."

"It’s been 8 years since we were on @britishbakeoff together but never a few days pass without us checking in on each other, friends for life," Wright captioned the photo.

Wright and Hartill were both eliminated from the show in the fifth episode of their season. Wright's hashtags in her post indicated she had undergone colorectal surgery and may be using a colostomy bag.

Fans quickly responded to her post with messages of support and well wishes for her recovery. "Aww, you are truly loved Karen! Recover well. You already look amazing xxx," one user commented. Another wrote, "What a wonderful friend! Hope you feel much better soon Karen. Big hugs. X."

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with over 48,000 people diagnosed annually. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in the country, responsible for more than 17,000 fatalities each year. According to Cancer Research UK, over half of bowel cancer cases in Britain are preventable.

Common symptoms include persistent changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhea or constipation, a feeling of incomplete emptying, and blood in the stool. Other warning signs can include stomach pain, bloating, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue.