Brenda Edwards learned to “appreciate every day” following her cancer scare. The 55-year-old TV star was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2015, and Brenda admits that the experience has changed her entire outlook on life.
Brenda – who has been cancer-free for nine years now – told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “Having cancer changes anybody, because you face a life of uncertainty, so it does make you appreciate life every day. I’m very grateful for what life brings me. I’ve always been a go-getter but now I’m even more so. If you don’t try, you’ll never know. You might succeed, so I’ll try almost anything.”
Brenda has also overhauled her diet since her health scare. She said: “Since my cancer I researched what I should eat.”
“I was eating a lot of processed foods and not a lot of veg, so spinach is my best friend. I love broccoli, salmon and chicken, and I try to stay away from sugars and white wine and be sensible. Now I drink gin and tonic, which was Queen Elizabeth’s drink.”
Brenda is a British singer, actress, and television personality. She first gained widespread attention as a contestant on the second season of the reality singing competition show The X Factor UK in 2005, where she finished in fourth place.
She has appeared in West End productions such as Chicago, where she played the role of Mama Morton, and We Will Rock You, in which she portrayed Killer Queen. Brenda is also known for her appearances as a panelist on the daytime talk show Loose Women, where she brings her lively personality and strong opinions to discussions on various topics.
In recent years, Brenda Edwards has faced personal tragedy with the passing of her son, Jamal Edwards, a renowned music entrepreneur and founder of SBTV, a platform that helped launch the careers of many UK artists.
Brenda believes she’s managed to strike a healthy balance between her work life and her personal life. The TV star refutes the idea that she’s a “workaholic” – but insisted that she’s fully committed to her career, too.
Brenda – who has been a regular guest on the ‘Loose Women’ panel since 2019 – explained: “I’m not a workaholic but there’s no point in doing a job if you’re not going to do it properly. My whole family are like that. Yet you’ve got to know when to switch off, because all work and no fun makes you a very dull person.”