Trisha's breast cancer battle

Trisha Goddard diagnosed with breast cancer

Daytime TV presenter Trisha Goddard has been diagnosed with breast cancer, it has been confirmed.

The 50-year-old mum of two was diagnosed with the disease after a routine mammogram picked up a lump three weeks ago.

She immediately had surgery to remove the tumour but lymph nodes that were taken away for analysis showed a trace of the cancer, which showed it has spread.

The star will have to undergo a second operation in the next few days to remove further lymph nodes.

The presenter is hoping to return to work on her show Trisha by the end of the month but, in the meantime, she is resting at home with her husband of ten years, Peter Gianfrancesco, and her two children Billie, 18, and 13-year-old Madison.

Mr Gianfrancesco, who works for mental health charity Mind, said: 'Trisha has to go into hospital again and then wait for the results of tests on the nodes that are being removed this time.

'She may possibly need, or choose to have, chemotherapy.

'We are both stressed and exhausted, but are trying to deal with this one step at a time.

'We hoped that we could handle with this in private, but following a number of inquiries from newspapers we thought it best to put the record straight.'

He added: 'We ask that everyone respects our privacy during this difficult time, allowing us to focus on supporting my wife's recovery.'

Trisha first made a name for herself in Australia, where she became the country's first black woman news presenter. She has since gone on to be queen of the chat show in England.

But her personal life has been blighted by tragedy, including the break-up of two marriages, the suicide of her younger sister, and a well-documented struggle with depression.

Trisha's business partner, Malcolm Allsop, said: 'Trisha does not want to feel like a sick person.

'Indeed she went straight back to work after the first operation and four days after leaving hospital was at a lunch with Madame Sarkozy and Sarah Brown at Lancaster House.'

He added that she is 'strong' and will 'come through this as she has with other setbacks in her life.'