British actress Dame Julie Walters reveals shock of bowel cancer diagnosis

Dame Julie Walters has revealed she was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer. Photo / Getty Images.

Harry Potter star Dame Julie Walters has revealed she was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer in 2018.

The 69-year-old actress has now been given the all clear after undergoing chemotherapy, but Walters initially thought doctors "must have made a mistake".

Recalling her diagnosis, the award-winning star - who initially visited the doctor with indigestion and "slight discomfort" - told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire: "I was still thinking, 'That's ridiculous, he must have made a mistake'. I couldn't believe it."

At the time of her diagnosis, Julie was suffering with stomach pain, heartburn and vomiting.

However, the news still came as a huge shock to her and her family, including her husband Grant Roffey.

She recalled: "I'll never forget his face. Tears came into his eyes."

Doctors actually discovered two primary tumours in her large intestine.

And Julie - who has starred in Mamma Mia, Billy Elliot and Educating Rita - has now admitted to doubting whether she'd survive her cancer treatment.

The actress - who had "30cm taken out" of her colon during surgery - confessed to thinking: "I may not come round from the anaesthetic."

Julie also revealed the surgery left her feeling "exhausted" and "a bit low" in the days after she went under the knife.

She said: "I said to the night nurse, 'Is Love Island on?' - because we were talking about it - and we watched it together. It was only a couple of days later I thought, I feel exhausted, and a bit low actually."

The Educating Rita star subsequently went through chemotherapy, and is now "clear" of cancer.

Julie shared: "I've just had a scan, and I know that [I'm] clear."

The acclaimed actress added that she's currently doing "really well", in spite of her health scare.