Lauren Laverne reveals smouldering myeloma diagnosis

Lauren Laverne has disclosed that she is living with smouldering myeloma, an asymptomatic blood and bone marrow disorder that can develop into blood cancer. The broadcaster says she currently feels well, does not require treatment and has been told that the risk of progression in her case is "pretty low". The diagnosis comes less than two years after she underwent treatment for a separate cancer and later received the all-clear.

What We Know So Far

Laverne, 48, announced the diagnosis on Friday, 17 July, explaining that smouldering myeloma does not cause symptoms but can develop into active myeloma, a form of blood cancer. According to information cited from Myeloma UK, the condition is detected through abnormal cells in the bone marrow and abnormal proteins found in blood or urine.

Unlike active myeloma, smouldering myeloma generally does not require immediate treatment. Instead, patients are placed under active monitoring, meaning clinicians regularly check for changes that could indicate the condition has begun causing symptoms or organ damage. Laverne said her follow-up care would include blood tests, MRI scans and bone marrow biopsies.

The condition was identified after her GP investigated persistently low iron levels rather than dismissing them as a minor concern. Laverne said this was the second serious health problem her doctor had detected early. She advised people with comparable concerns to advocate for themselves and ask to see a haematologist, a doctor who specialises in blood disorders.

Laverne stressed that the disorder is unrelated to her previous cancer or recent surgery. She announced an unspecified cancer diagnosis in August 2024 and said three months later that she had received the all-clear. She explained that cancer survivors may be more likely to discover smouldering myeloma because their health is monitored more closely than that of people without a recent cancer history.

She described the new condition as chronic and said there is currently no cure. However, the absence of symptoms and her low assessed risk mean the immediate plan is surveillance rather than medication, chemotherapy or another active intervention.

Voices & Opinions

At the moment I feel OK and don't need treatment.

Laverne said she is normally private but chose to share the news because seeing public figures discuss comparable health problems had helped her. Her statement also thanked her family, friends, BBC Radio 6 Music colleagues, doctors, consultants, nurses, therapist and GP.

There are more than 53,000 people across the UK on active monitoring for different blood cancers, including smouldering myeloma, so nobody should feel they are facing this alone.

The charity said its specialist nurses provide free and confidential support to people trying to understand a diagnosis or active monitoring. Messages of support also came from broadcasters Kate Garraway and Dr Amir Khan, singer Jessie Ware and radio presenter Jamz Supernova.

Local Impact

Laverne's announcement places fresh attention on active monitoring, an approach affecting more than 53,000 people across the UK with different blood cancers and related conditions. For those patients, not receiving immediate treatment does not mean the diagnosis is being ignored; it means medical teams have judged that regular testing is currently more appropriate than intervention.

Her account may also resonate with people whose blood-test abnormalities continue without a clear explanation. Laverne did not suggest that low iron automatically indicates smouldering myeloma; her point was that persistent results deserved investigation in her individual case. Anyone concerned about their health should discuss their own test results and symptoms with a qualified clinician rather than drawing conclusions from another person's diagnosis.

For BBC audiences, Laverne remains a familiar voice through Radio 6 Music and Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, alongside appearances on The One Show. She has indicated that the diagnosis will not cause a long-term interruption to her broadcasting work.

Coming Up

Laverne plans to take a couple of weeks' holiday before returning to work as normal. Her medical team will continue monitoring her through blood tests, MRI scans and bone marrow biopsies, looking for evidence that the condition is changing or becoming active.

No treatment has been scheduled, and she has not announced any permanent change to her BBC roles. She also suggested that she may speak more fully in future about this diagnosis and the other health difficulties she has experienced during the past eight years.

At a Glance

• Lauren Laverne has been diagnosed with smouldering myeloma.
• The disorder affects blood and bone marrow but currently causes her no symptoms.
• She says her risk of developing active blood cancer is "pretty low".
• She does not need treatment but will undergo regular medical monitoring.
• The diagnosis is unrelated to her previous cancer or recent surgery.
• She expects to return to work after a two-week holiday.