Alex Kingston ‘Hemorrhaged’ Mid-Performance but Kept Going — Later Discovered She Had Womb Cancer
Alex Kingston, best known for her powerful performances in ER and Doctor Who, has shared a deeply personal story that began with discomfort and ended in a diagnosis that changed her life. At 62, the actress revealed that she had been feeling bloated, achy, and unusually tired for nearly 18 months — but like many women her age, she brushed it off as part of getting older. “I had assumed that the way I was feeling was old age, and I just sort of accepted it,” she told The Independent.
What she didn’t know was that her body had been sending warning signs of something far more serious. During a live stage performance of The Other Boleyn Girl at the Chichester Festival, Kingston suddenly began hemorrhaging mid-scene. “I started bleeding heavily, and it was soaking through everything,” she recalled. In true performer spirit, she refused to stop the show. She asked the wardrobe team for pads, pressed them against her costume, and returned to the stage. “I just knocked my knees together and prayed it would soak everything up,” she said with a mix of humor and honesty.
The audience had no idea what was happening behind the scenes, and Kingston pushed through the entire performance — bleeding through her costume, still determined to give her best. “The show must go on” had never felt more literal.
After the production ended, Kingston sought medical attention. Doctors soon confirmed that she had cancer in her fallopian tubes, a rare form of womb cancer. Fortunately, it had not spread to her ovaries. She underwent a hysterectomy and radiation treatment, procedures that she described as both emotionally and physically intense. But when she woke up from surgery, she said she felt like herself again — “as though my body had reset.”
Looking back, Kingston said the early symptoms were easy to dismiss, but they were clear signs that something was wrong. “Even though my body was telling me there was something seriously wrong, I kept thinking it was just a bad UTI or fibroids,” she admitted. Her story sheds light on how easily women can overlook health symptoms that deserve medical attention.
Now, Alex Kingston is not only recovering but also reclaiming her joy. She’s currently competing on Strictly Come Dancing, embracing the chance to celebrate life and movement again. “Life is too short — go for whatever it is you secretly long to do,” she said.
Her courage — from finishing that night’s performance despite unimaginable pain, to facing cancer head-on — has inspired fans worldwide. Kingston hopes her story encourages women to listen to their bodies, no matter how small or ordinary the symptoms may seem. “Your body whispers before it screams,” she said, reminding everyone that self-awareness can be life-saving.
Alex Kingston’s journey is a story of resilience, bravery, and grace — a reminder that strength doesn’t always mean fighting loudly. Sometimes, it means finishing the show, even when your body is begging you to stop.
