Julia Bradbury has opened up about her devastating cancer battle after making a shock discovery. The former Countryfile presenter, 55, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021. She underwent a mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction, an operation to remove a 6cm tumour, and chemotherapy. In a candid new interview, the presenter admitted she "wants to stay alive as long as she can" as she addressed her health woes.

Following her breast cancer diagnosis, Julia's surgeon deemed chemotherapy unnecessary but she went ahead with a masectomy. The on-screen star went on to share the real reason she is still here after she nearly didn't attend a follow-up appointment regarding a lump she'd found in her breast a year previously.

While her previous scans did not flag any medical issues she was asked to return 12 months later but the lump had proven to be more painful by this point.

She told The Telegraph: "I nearly didn't bother going to see him when he got back [from holiday] six weeks later. I was busy, he was busy."

The consultant suggested everything was well but decided to perform an ultrasound where he made a tragic discovery.

"This time he found a tiny pinprick. And that's probably why I'm here," Julia explained.

The presenter previously made a tragic end of life admission following the release of her self-titled series, Wonders Of The Frozen South.

Julia told the MailOnline: "The sky was pink in the Antarctic summer, there were icebergs on the horizon and a solitary humpback whale, idling about and blowing spouts."

In a heartbreaking admission, she added, "I was sitting there thinking, 'When I'm old, this is something I want to tell my grandchildren about...' and that made me realise that I was living my second life, the one after cancer, to the full."

Julia is in remission following a 2021 breast cancer diagnosis and mastectomy, having overhauled her life to focus on health, nature, and wellness.

She promotes a "health-first" approach through, a primarily plant-based diet, eliminating alcohol, regular walking, and mindfulness.