Malandra Burrows opens up on Cancer fight

The performer came to prominence on ATV’s New Faces show in the 1970s.

Malandra Burrows, best known for her long running role in Yorkshire Television’s Emmerdale, has bravely opened up about the moment her dog realised she had cancer – and how Ant and Dec are helping her face anything.

In a TV exclusive with ITV’s Lorraine Kelly show, Malandra – who played Kathy Glover in the dales based soap – joined host Lorraine via video link from her home in Huddersfield and spoke about the astonishing sequence of events that led her pooch Teddy to let her know something was wrong.

While she had no symptoms, the Border Terrier knew something wasn’t quite right.

“It was so bizarre,” she explained in the emotional chat. “We were watching a movie together and she literally wanted to lie on my chest. She’d never done that before. Nuzzling, sort of headbutting me, and this one night she kind of swiped me so hard with her head it really really hurt, so that same evening, before I went to bed, I checked myself and just thought, ‘Oh, she must’ve bruised me –  it’s really painful’. And that’s when I felt this little lump – I thought it was a swollen gland.

“I feel so blessed. I was one of those women who didn’t have any symptoms, and without that i just dread to think where I’d be now. It’s astonishing and I’m so thankful to her.”

Malandra spoke to Lorraine Kelly about her recent cancer news.

Left: Kathy lays to rest first husband Jackie Merrick (Ian Sharrock ) in Emmerdale Farm, supported by father-in-law Jack Sugden (Clive Hornby). Inset: Malandra on ATV’s New Faces.

Malandra also gave an update on her health, paid an emotional tribute to Deborah James, and revealed her time on I’m A Celeb gave her confidence to fight. She recalled the moment she told the Macmillan nurse who confirmed her diagnosis, “I’ve been in the jungle with Ant and Dec, I can do anything. I’m going to fight this. And that’s what I’m going to do.”

In 1974, Malandra wowed audiences when she starred as a contestant on ATV’s New Faces, appearing as the youngest ever winner of the talent show and went on to star on an “all-winners” special that also featured other top acts including Les Dennis and Victoria Wood.

After small parts in Channel 4 soap Brookside Malandra took on the major role of Kathy Bates in Emmerdale Farm in 1985, the character remained hugely popular and the soap world was taken by surprise when Kathy was written out in 2001. She replied the role briefly in 2005.

Kathy and Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) in ‘Kathy’s Diner’ the place to eat in Emmerdale in the 1990s.

Inset: Kathy left as a villager in 2001. Right: A festive offering from Emmerdale Farm in the 1980s.

To watch the interview and show in full visit itv.com/hub

Lorraine airs weekdays at 9am on ITV and ITV Hub