Lauren Laverne Diagnosed with Smouldering Myeloma

BBC broadcaster Lauren Laverne, 48, has announced she has been diagnosed with smouldering myeloma, an asymptomatic blood and bone marrow disorder that can develop into blood cancer. Laverne, host of BBC Radio 6 Music's weekday mid-morning show, The One Show, and Desert Island Discs, shared the news on Instagram, noting that she currently feels OK and does not require treatment. The diagnosis comes two years after she was treated for an unspecified cancer, for which she received the all-clear in November 2024. She emphasized that the condition is unrelated to her previous illness or recent surgery. Smouldering myeloma is detected by abnormal cells in the bone marrow and abnormal protein in blood or urine; patients are monitored for progression to active myeloma. Laverne stated her risk of developing myeloma is "pretty low" and that most people her age are unaware they have the condition. She credited her GP for catching the issue early and urged others to advocate for themselves. She will take a two-week holiday and return to work as normal.