BBC presenter and filmmaker Reggie Yates has shared a deeply personal health scare, revealing he underwent surgery to remove a tumour from his hand and faced an anxious period fearing he might lose the use of it.
The 'Little Lump of Uncertainty'
The 42-year-old star, famed for his work on BBC Radio 1 and shows like Grange Hill, described the experience as one of the most challenging of his life. Writing on his Substack platform, Yates reflected on the psychological weight of carrying what he termed 'a little lump of uncertainty' on his hand, a constant physical reminder of the unknown.
'A collection of cells that could be benign or cancerous,' he wrote. 'Then followed a fun week of waiting to find out which version of lump my body decided to grow. I wasn't ashamed, I was a willing participant in an uncoupling.'
From Fear to a Novel: A Year of Healing
The tumour has now been successfully removed. Yates is focusing on his recovery, choosing to frame the ordeal not with dread but by celebrating the battles won. He emphasised the importance of allowing himself to heal both physically and emotionally after the scare.
In a powerful reflection on his journey over the past year, he wrote: 'You learn a lot about who you're becoming when you go from fears of losing the use of your hand in February, to delivering your publisher a novel typed by that same hand in December...'
On Instagram, he summarised the lesson more succinctly, noting how a 'little lump of cells' can abruptly reorder your life's priorities and teach profound lessons.
A Storied Career from Council Estate to BBC Stardom
Reggie Yates shot to fame as a child actor, growing up on an inner-London council estate. His mother encouraged his talent by taking him to local acting classes costing £2.50 per lesson. His early roles included the beloved children's TV series Grange Hill.
His broadcasting career flourished on CITV and CBBC before he moved to BBC Radio 1 in 2007. Listeners will best remember him for presenting The Official Chart Show, initially with Fearne Cotton, and The Radio 1 Request Show on Saturdays. He left the station in December 2012.
Since then, his career has continued to diversify, presenting shows like Release The Hounds and, in 2021, releasing his first feature film as writer and director, Pirates.
