Nicki Chapman Undergoes Fourth Foot Operation
The television presenter shared an update from the hospital following her latest procedure for a long-standing ankle issue.
Television presenter Nicki Chapman has undergone her fourth operation on her foot, sharing an update from the hospital on Sunday. Chapman, 59, revealed that while the procedures are not for running marathons or appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, each intervention helps keep her mobile and pain-free.
Chapman posted a photo on Instagram from her hospital bed, giving a thumbs-up with her right leg in a boot. She also shared a picture of herself walking with a stick in London, aiding her movement. "Every little step. Slowly getting there and managed to walk to the end of the road. Result!" she captioned the post. She added, "Fourth op over the years - never gonna make Strictly Come Dancing nor run a marathon but grateful for each tweak keeping me mobile and pain free."
She has experienced problems with her ankle since she was 15 and was diagnosed with ankle spurs, which are bony lumps that form on bones around joints, often due to damage from arthritis. Chapman previously described how these bone spurs caused inflammation and excruciating pain, restricting her ankle's movement. A consultant had warned her that a career involving standing, such as her initial aspiration to be a theatrical make-up artist, would lead to serious problems by the time she was 30.
Chapman's second operation for the condition was in 2015, and her third took place in 2017. The presenter received numerous well wishes from celebrity friends and fans, including Vanessa Feltz and Nick Knowles.
This foot issue is not the only health challenge Chapman has faced. In 2019, she was diagnosed with a non-malignant brain tumor, described as the size of a small golf ball. She recalled experiencing vision loss and difficulty speaking, prompting her and her husband, Dave Shackleton, to seek medical attention. After undergoing scans, she was informed that the necessary surgery carried risks of permanent loss of speech, sight, or movement. The tumor was successfully removed, though a small portion remained, causing concern about recurrence. In March 2022, Chapman revealed that the remaining tumor had inexplicably vanished.