John Torode shares emotional update about his wife: 'Her breast cancer diagnosis changed everything'

Former MasterChef star John Torode has shared an emotional update about his wife Lisa Faulkner's cancer diagnosis, saying it "changed absolutely everything".

Faulkner announced her breast cancer diagnosis in July, confirming that she underwent a "big operation" after a routine mammogram revealed she had the disease.

The couple have built a successful food partnership, including their ITV series John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen, which is currently on hold, and a YouTube cooking channel. Their second cookbook, John & Lisa’s Weeknight Dinners, is due next week.

Speaking to The Times about Faulkner's cancer diagnosis and touching on his exit from MasterChef in 2025, Torode said: "Life changes, doesn’t it?"

He added: "When doors close, something else opens up. It takes time, grieving takes time, but it has got to be about your positive attitude.

"But the most important thing to me is health and being with my wife, Lisa, and if I have that, everything else pales into insignificance. Lisa’s breast cancer diagnosis this year changed absolutely everything."

"Cancer comes along and knocks you again and you suddenly realise that none of the other stuff matters," Faulkner said.

"It changes everything. It feels like you are suddenly in a film of your life. Your life is stark. You suddenly realise what is important and the rest goes out of the window."

Faulkner said the NHS "has been amazing", adding that she sought a second opinion from a female surgeon at Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead after initially being told she could lose her breast.

The second surgeon removed the cancer with clear margins, saving Faulkner’s breast and nipple. "I’m very, very grateful to be here and well," she said.

Speaking about how her own experience brought back memories of her mother’s death from cancer, she said: "Whenever, in the past, cancer was mentioned, I shut down. I had to almost think, 'That won’t happen to me'. And I had to get used to the fact that it was happening to me."

If you would like more information or support about living with cancer or treatment, please click here for guidance from Macmillan Cancer Support, or click here to learn more from Stand Up to Cancer.

Reporter, Digital Spy

Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy. 

A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre. 

In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.