Maryam Moshiri has revealed that she has been undergoing treatment for an incurable blood cancer for the past two years while continuing her work at News. The News presenter said the illness has left her exhausted at times, even as she keeps returning to live broadcasting.
Speaking in an interview with The Times published this weekend, the 49-year-old said she does not want blood cancer to stop her work. She said, “I love what I do. I love being where the story is. I don't want to allow blood cancer to stop me from doing my work.”
Polycythaemia vera and treatment
Moshiri said she was diagnosed with an incurable type of blood cancer in November 2024. The cancer is Polycythaemia vera, a rare type that affects the bone marrow and makes the blood thicker than normal.
Her treatment involves having blood removed to reduce the concentration of red blood cells. She said that leaves her exhausted, and she described the strain of working through fatigue while covering major news for News.
Rome and The World Today
Moshiri has worked at the since 2003 and presents The World Today. Her reporting has included the coronation of King Charles, the papal conclave, Eurovision and the Iran war.
She said she was sent to Rome for two weeks in April last year to cover the death of Pope Francis while fatigued from treatment. “I was working 14-hour days, constantly on air, constantly having to think on my feet, and holding it together, despite the fact that I had this chronic tiredness and fatigue,” she said.
Maryam Moshiri and Here for This
Moshiri is backing Blood Cancer UK’s Here for This campaign, which aims to highlight the things sufferers miss because of illness. She has three children aged 13, 11 and 9, and said that during her worst periods she was too tired to play football with her son in the garden.
More than 310,000 people are living with or in remission from blood cancer. Moshiri’s account shows how treatment can sit alongside daily work, but she has made clear that the fatigue remains part of the cost.
