Beverley Callard, 69, says she's 'quite badly burnt' from radiotherapy to treat breast cancer as she gives a health update

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 14:58 EDT, 14 August 2026 | Updated: 15:07 EDT, 14 August 2026 Beverley Callard has said she is 'quite badly burnt' after completing radiotherapy to treat her breast cancer. The Coronation Street star, 69, was diagnosed earlier this year and has constantly updated followers during her treatment and hospital appointments.Beverley appeared on the Irish chat show The Six O'Clock Show, where she gave an update on her health and spoke about the side effects of radiotherapy she has experienced. She said: 'The side effects of radiotherapy began to affect me a few days after I'd finished. 'Nausea, really tired and just wiped out a little bit. And I'm quite badly burnt. But I'm coping really well, actually. I'm back at work again, I'm back filming. Beverley Callard has said she is 'quite badly burnt' after completing radiotherapy to treat her breast cancerBeverley added: 'I got through it amazingly well. I didn't have any time off work. I didn't miss a day. So I was really sort of proud of myself for that.'According to the NHS, radiotherapy commonly causes a burning sensation or skin irritation (radiation dermatitis) resembling a severe sunburn in the treated area. Beverley joined the cast of Ireland's RTÉ’s soap opera Fair City in February as Lily, the quirky and unpredictable long-lost mother of Carrigstown resident Gwen. That same month, while she was just about to go on set, the soap star got a call from her doctor that she had breast cancer and so returned to the UK to have surgery and treatment. Speaking about when she will find out how well the radiotherapy has worked she said: 'I don't know the actual prognosis yet, I see my oncologist again in two weeks time. So I'll know more then, but I'm doing well.'The actress said how people had told her not to rush going to work and prioritise resting at home. Revealing why she made the decision to be back on set, she said: 'If you are, you just sit and feel sorry for yourself.'Believe me, I've done that as well, as we all do. But I need my mind to be occupied.'If I've got lines to learn, it really helps. And believe me, I've had loads to learn, so it's been good.' The actress said how people had told her not to rush going to work and prioritise resting at home. Beverley is part of the cast of Ireland's RTÉ’s soap opera Fair City Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and affects more than two MILLION women a year Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Each year in the UK there are more than 55,000 new cases, and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it strikes 266,000 each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?What is breast cancer?It comes from a cancerous cell which develops in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts.When the breast cancer has spread into surrounding tissue it is called 'invasive'. Some people are diagnosed with 'carcinoma in situ', where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule.Most cases develop in those over the age of 50 but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, though this is rare.Staging indicates how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.The cancerous cells are graded from low, which means a slow growth, to high, which is fast-growing. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after they have first been treated.What causes breast cancer?A cancerous tumour starts from one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply 'out of control'.Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the chance, such as genetics.What are the symptoms of breast cancer?The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most are not cancerous and are fluid-filled cysts, which are benign. The first place that breast cancer usually spreads to is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this occurs you will develop a swelling or lump in an armpit.How is breast cancer diagnosed?Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may do tests such as a mammogram, a special X-ray of the breast tissue which can indicate the possibility of tumours.Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to assess if it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the liver or a chest X-ray.How is breast cancer treated?Treatment options which may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments are used.Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or the removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumour.Radiotherapy: A treatment which uses high energy beams of radiation focused on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells, or stops them from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.Chemotherapy: A treatment of cancer by using anti-cancer drugs which kill cancer cells, or stop them from multiplying.Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the 'female' hormone oestrogen, which can stimulate the cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments which reduce the level of these hormones, or prevent them from working, are commonly used in people with breast cancer.How successful is treatment?The outlook is best in those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small, and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumour in an early stage may then give a good chance of cure.The routine mammography offered to women between the ages of 50 and 71 means more breast cancers are being diagnosed and treated at an early stage.For more information visit breastcancernow.org or call its free helpline on 0808 800 6000Beverley, who is known for playing Liz McDonald on Coronation Street, first publicly revealed her diagnosis on Ireland's RTE Late Late Show earlier this year.At the time, she announced she was having her lymph nodes removed as a precautionary measure in a bid to stop the cancer spreading.Back in May, Beverley revealed how medics were worried she should have started radiotherapy earlier following her breast cancer diagnosis.The star admitted it 'wasn't what she wanted to hear' after attending the hospital to discuss a treatment plan with doctors.Beverley confirmed that she is still able to work while she awaits radiotherapy. She said in a health update last week: 'Well, I'm back home now after my visit to St. Luke's to see the radiotherapist. He just said that I'll be having 10 days of radiotherapy, five consecutive days, then a weekend off, then five more days. 'I'm not sure when it starts yet. They'll let me know. They will send me an appointment to have a body scan and do the mapping, that's the first thing, and they'll let me know soon when that begins, so really that's all I know at the moment.'