Strictly Come Dancing star Dr Punam Krishan has revealed she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Scottish GP and TV star, 42, competed on the 2024 season of the long-running BBC dancing series, where she placed eleventh with professional dance partner Gorka Márquez.
However, she’s now detailed the ‘shock’ of being told she had cancer five months ago.
Posting a photo from a hospital bed on Instagram, Dr Punam began by writing: ‘Here goes…five months ago, I heard the words nobody ever wants to hear: “You have cancer”.
‘I still find it hard to write that sentence. But it’s my reality and my truth.
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‘I’ve spent almost 2 decades as a doctor, supporting patients and families through difficult diagnoses. And yet, nothing – absolutely nothing – prepares you for being on the receiving end yourself. The shock. The fear. The trauma. In that moment, knowledge means very little. I was diagnosed with breast cancer.’
She continued: ‘Since then, I’ve taken things one day at a time because that’s all I could do. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to be cared for by the most extraordinary NHS team, from my GP through to my breast and oncology teams. And still… it’s been really hard. Much harder than I ever imagined.
‘I’ve kept this private while going through treatment, trying to protect my energy and most of all – my children. My husband, my family and a small circle of friends have carried me through in ways I’ll never forget. When something like this happens, you realise very quickly what – and who – truly matters.’
Dr Punam then went on to share that she had now completed treatment and was ‘healing’, but that she was feeling ‘grateful, relieved and still shaken’.
Explaining her decision to share her health diagnosis publicly, she said she’d ‘always believed in honesty’.
‘And because life rarely looks like the highlight reel, even when it seems that way from the outside,’ she explained.
She went on to add that while she had no family history, was feeling healthy and is a doctor herself, cancer ‘doesn’t discriminate’.
Urging others to also stay on top of health checks, she added: ‘What I’ve learned most is this: early detection saves lives. It saved mine. My story began with an unusual feeling – a gut instinct. Listening to it mattered. Please know your body. Trust yourself. And act early if something doesn’t feel right.’
Dr Punam went on to say the experience had ‘changed her’ and taken her to ‘dark places mentally’. But, despite facing conversations about her own mortality, it had also ‘stripped life back to what truly matters’.
Concluding her post, she wrote: ‘Your health is everything. Not work. Not possessions. Not perfection. I have so much more to share when I’m ready. For now, thank you for being here and for holding space with such kindness.’
Soon after she was flooded with supportive comments, including from her Strictly partner Gorka, who wrote: ‘I know you and I Know you will get through this! And we will be sat having a coffee and a croissant.’
Dr Punam is a practicing NHS GP from born and raised in Scotland who also teaches at the University of Glasgow – where she originally studied medicine.
Alongside her day job she is also known for appearing on BBC Morning Live as well as doing BBC Radio Scotland’s phone-in surgery.
She also reports on health news across TV, radio and newspapers
In 2022, the broadcaster also released her book, How To Be A Doctor and Other Life-Savig Jobs.
Dr Punam is married to Scottish Conservative MP and Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane who has been the MSP for Glasgow since 2021. They share two children, a son Aarish, 12, and a daughter Ellora, five.
During her time on Strictly she made history by being the first person to perform to a Bollywood in the 20-year history of the show.
She and Gorka danced to Bole Chudiyan from the 2001 movie Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
When the news was announced she shared: ‘Representation matters and this feels huge. My DMs have exploded today – I can feel the joy. Thank you for all the love and support.’
Following her later elimination from the series, she spoke about being proud of herself after doing something out of her comfort zone.
‘The one thing that I’ve very much learnt is to say yes more, and that there is no point in your life when you can stop learning new skills,’ she said.
‘I’ve learnt more than dancing, I’ve learnt so much from Gorka. Everyone’s been so incredible and it’s just memories that I’ll take home forever, and I am very proud. I’ve made my family very proud, I’m just really grateful.’
She went on to say how ‘proud’ her kids, husband and parents were. ‘This is just one of those things that I have dreamt about for years, and I think to have one of your dreams genuinely come true is just a surreal feeling. Week after week it’s been incredible, I’ve made friends for life and everyone’s just been so kind,’ she added.
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