The 53-year old star of The Office said she wanted to continue with work because 'acting is one of the biggest joys in my life'18:56, 11 Aug 2026Updated 19:04, 11 Aug 2026The Office star Lucy Davis has revealed she is suffering from terminal breast cancer which has spread to her bones - and does not know how long she has left.‌Announcing her devastating diagnosis the actress, 53, vowed to have as much fun as she possibly could in whatever time she has left.‌Posting a heartfelt statement on Instagram Lucy, daughter of comedian Jasper Carrott, said that she regarded humour as “vital” and urged her friends and family to “make as much fun of me as possible”.‌Bravely declaring that she was not fearful of death having been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer 18 months ago, the animal-loving star said one positive was the thought of being reunited with her much-loved dog Gracie, who died in 2024.As Dawn in The Office, Lucy was half of Britain’s best-loved sitcom will-they-won’t-they romance. A nation rejoiced in 2003 when her character Dawn finally got together with Martin Freeman’s Tim and ditched her fiancé Lee (Joel Beckett) in the two-part Christmas special.‌Announcing her health news on social media, Lucy wrote: “A year and a half ago I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, which has metastasized to my bones. Specifically to my spine, right hip, and my ribs. The cancer is incurable, and too late for chemo.'The initial lump that I felt, wasn't a 'lump' as such; rather a kind of hard spot. Really tiny. I almost didn't bother getting it checked. So I guess I'm saying don't ignore anything - get everything checked out.“As of now, I'm trying to live out whatever might be left of my life in as fun a way as I possibly can. I always like to find the teachable moments in anything negative that happens. And cancer has not disappointed in that regard; there's a lot I have learned from it, and I'm grateful for that.”‌She said that because the pain was sometimes “something else” she now sometimes has to use a wheelchair. “If you see me toddling around in one, feel free to give me a push,” she insisted.‌As an actress who has worked in many comedies she also urged pals to keep the laughs coming despite her illness. “The thing that has been most vital to me is humour,” she explained. “I asked my friends and family to make fun of me as much as possible (which they're really good at), and most importantly of all to not treat me like a sick person. There's nothing that will make you feel more unwell than being treated as if you're unwell.”Showing that she was more concerned about how her cancer has affected her loved ones, she said: “I'm not scared of whatever comes next. I'm at peace with it. I'll see my Gracie sooner than expected, and for me, leaving my physical body just means going home. Any and all grieving is for my family; it's far harder for them than for me.”Lucy has long been a campaigner for animal rights, once posing nude for a PETA campaign against the British army’s use of bearskin hats by the Guards Division.‌She said that her intention is to keep going with that work and also to continue acting for as long as she can. “I'm still going to keep up all my work for animal rights. It's so important to me. And I still would like to keep working. I'm perfectly able to do so, and acting is one of the biggest joys in my life.”After achieving huge fame alongside Ricky Gervais and Mackenzie Crook in The Office, where she played receptionist Dawn Tinsley, she later went on to appear in The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina as one of the lead's aunts Hilda Spellman. She also played Etta Candy in the 2017 Wonder Woman movie, and had filmed US comedy series Amy from Amarillo. Her most recent TV role was as supervillain Eva in The Villains of Valley Viewwhich ran for two series on Disney Channel until 2023.‌Lucy, who trained at the Italia Conti performing arts school, also sent a message to others who found themselves battling the disease. “For those of you on a similar journey to mine, I do wish you well,” she wrote. “Cancer asks a lot from us, physically and mentally. And we all get to do it however we choose. Much love to you all.”Lucy, who has three siblings, has type 1 diabetes and, in 1997, underwent a kidney transplant with an organ donated by her mother, Hazel Jackson. She suffered from kidney failure for a second time at the end of 2005 but recovered.In 2006 she married actor Owain Yeoman at St Paul’s Cathedral, but the couple divorced five years later. She has been open about suffering from the eating disorder bulimia which peaked around the time that her marriage ended in 2011.‌In a 2017 interview she said she had now come to terms with her body, saying: “'In my 30s, I would have hated to look like this - I probably wouldn't have gone out much. I'd diet for a week and then eat all the food I hadn't consumed in the previous seven days in a single day.”The actress, who went to Overeaters Anonymous in order to overcome the illness, explained: “Now, I think I'm just normal. But my head didn't think that then. This period of binge and purge was at its worst when my marriage came to an end.“Even today, I'll wonder sometimes whether I might try and shift a few pounds, and then I'll think: 'Ooh no, I'd love some cheese.”Article continues belowLast night fans reacted with dismay, with one saying: “How incredibly sad, 53 is no age at all. God bless her, you just can’t imagine what that must be like.”Another offered hope with the message: “I was diagnosed with incurable stage 4 cancer but I'm now in remission. I hope Lucy reads my comment. Don't give up and stay positive.”