Emmerdale’s Leah Bracknell speaks out about lung cancer diagnosis

Actress Leah Bracknell has spoken out about her terminal lung cancer diagnosis saying that she doesn't want "pity."

The former Emmerdale actress was diagnosed with the condition last year. She was forced to travel to Germany to undergo treatment that was not available on the NHS. Her condition did not improve. https://twitter.com/ITVLorraine/status/943458732503195648 Earlier today, Bracknell told Lorraine that many people appeared to be "embarrassed" when they found out about her illness. She said that she understands why people react this way but that she doesn't want to be pitied.

“Other people were writing me off quicker and even people close to me, they’d come and - I don’t mean to be unkind - but people were embarrassed or didn’t know what to say. “They come in and they’re feeling very sorry and very pitiful, and actually it’s the worst - the one thing that nobody wants is pity."

Bracknell played Zoe Tate in Emmerdale until 2005 when she left the popular ITV drama. Her terminal diagnosis came to light in October of 2016 when her partner, Jez Hughes, set up a GoFubdMe page to try and get Bracknell to Germany for treatment. He raised over £50,000. Despite her diagnosis, Bracknell said that she is not going to be negative because her cancer is "part of one's life." "It's life," she said. "It's living."