Great British Bake Off contestant Karen Wright reveals she is battling bowel cancer – as her ‘friend for life’ co-star surprises her in hospital after surgery

DAILYMAIL.COM • 1d ago

By NIOMI HARRIS, SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER 15:59 06 Oct 2026, updated 16:22 06 Oct 2026

Former Great British Bake Off contestant Karen Wright has revealed she is battling colorectal cancer – also known as bowel cancer – in an emotional post shared to Instagram on Monday.

Karen, 68, appeared on the Channel 4 series back in 2018, causing a stir in week one when she finished her bake minutes early and sat down to enjoy a packet of crisps.

And in a heartbreaking update for her followers, Karen spoke of her health battle as she revealed her ‘friend for life’ co-star Terry Hartill had travelled to visit her amid their continuous friendship.

In the photo, Karen, who donned burgundy pyjamas, beamed to the camera while lying in her hospital bed as fellow Bake Off star Terry – whom she forged a strong bond with on the show – leaned in to smile alongside her.

Captioning her post, Karen penned: ‘After major surgery I was feeling pretty rough and look who showed up, driving halfway across the country to hold my hand.

‘It’s been 8 years since we were on @britishbakeoff together but never a few days pass without us checking in on each other, friends for life.’

Karen and Terry both left the show in the fifth episode in a double elimination that saw Terry break down in tears.

In her hashtags, the in-store sampling assistant from West Yorkshire confirmed she had colorectal surgery and suggested she was wearing a colostomy bag.

Fans of the TV personality were quick to comment with their well wishes for Karen.

They penned: ‘Aww, you are truly loved Karen! Recover well. You already look amazing xxx’

Another shared: ‘What a wonderful friend! Hope you feel much better soon Karen. Big hugs. X.’

‘Well this hit me right in the feels. Hope you’re doing OK Karen x’ wrote a third follower.

With another writing: ‘@britishbakeoff friends made for life in the tent ❤️ hope you are resting and recovering Karen even with dad talking your ear off.’

Cases of bowel cancer have soared in recent years – with more than 48,000 people diagnosed in the UK every year. It’s now the leading cause of death in under 50s.

Common symptoms include changes in bowel habits, such as persistent diarrhoea or constipation, a feeling of incomplete emptying, and blood in the stool.

Stomach pain, bloating, unexpected weight loss and fatigue are other warning signs.

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second biggest cause of cancer deaths, claiming more than 17,000 lives every year.

But Cancer Research UK estimates that more than half (54 per cent) of bowel cancer cases in Britain are preventable.

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