'Sobbing my heart out': Fans praise Victoria Derbyshire's bravery speaking about breast cancer as she bares all to raise awareness in The Real Full Monty

Eleanor Rose30 March 2018

Fans have told how they were moved to tears watching Victoria Derbyshire conquer her fears to strip off in The Real Full Monty two years after having a mastectomy.

"I cried watching the fear in your face and how you conquered it," wrote one woman as viewers flooded Twitter with praise of the BBC broadcaster, who cried as she recalled her battle with breast cancer as part of the ITV show.

"Well done to you. You lovely ladies had me sobbing my heart out," said another woman, adding: "You are such a lovely lady. From one [breast cancer] survivor to another well done."

The show followed Ms Derbyshire, 49, as she wavered about whether she would go through with the striptease to raise awareness of breast cancer.

After meeting topless female dancers at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, she said she no longer wanted to take part in the topless performance, questioning whether it was the right way to raise awareness.

Triumph: The women stripped to raise awareness of breast cancer
Rex Features

Breaking down in tears she added: "This is so out of my comfort zone. God this is day one, what the heck. I haven't cried for ages about having cancer, or my body or whatever."

But she overcame her doubts to take part in the show's finale in which eight female celebrities bared all to a live audience, to the delight of fans who hailed her bravery.

Celebrities added their praises, with Batman actor Colin McFarlane writing: "Your courage tonight has moved me to tears. You are beautiful inside and out and an inspiration.

When Ms Derbyshire replied to say thank you, he responded: "Thank YOU. Eight years ago we took on two children who lost their mother to cancer and last year my son was diagnosed with it at only 26, but thankfully is doing great.

Victoria Derbyshire admitted the show brought back difficult emotions
ITV

"We all know someone. Your bravery is infectious. Your family must be SO proud of their beautiful wife and mother."

In a topless photo shoot on the programme, Ms Derbyshire had posed with Belgian buns covering her breasts, with one higher than the other.

When the photographer told her they were uneven, she replied: "That is the point. One is real and one isn't."

During the show Emmerdale actress Sally Dexter had her first ever mammogram, saying she had previously ignored letters offering her the screening.

The soap star admitted she had been scared of both the process and the results but later shared that the results had come back as normal.

The women talked about their experiences as breast cancer survivors
ITV

During a visit to a recording studio to join the cast of The Real Full Monty in a recording of This Is Me from the film The Greatest Showman, Coleen Nolan's sister Bernie spoke about her own cancer diagnosis.

She said: "Mine isn't curable but it is treatable. We are here and we are survivors."

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