Hollyoaks’ Abi Phillips reveals devastating news she’s been diagnosed with thyroid cancer at 28

Hollyoaks star Abi Phillips has revealed she has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

The 28-year-old actress – who played Liberty Savage in the Channel 4 soap- took to Instagram to share her shocking news after she got two lumps in her neck tested.

Alongside selfies of herself wearing a hospital gown, face mask and a bandage over her throat, Abi wrote: “So, I took these pictures before my scans and after my biopsy having a good old laugh about how ridiculously dressed up I looked in the hospital before a gig, not expecting for one moment to get the news that I did two weeks later.”

Abi revealed she had previously gone to the doctors to get the lumps examined, but was told there was nothing wrong, and she wanted to get a second opinion for “peace of mind”.

She continued: “I’d previously been sent away from the doctors after having found two lumps in my neck, they’d passed it off and said I was ‘young’ and it wouldn’t be anything and I was ‘probably getting over a cold’ or my body was ‘fighting something off’.

“As much as that’s what I wanted to hear I wanted to get everything checked for my own peace of mind.”

After meeting with a specialist, Abi was told they were a cause for concern and that she required surgery and radiotherapy.

The soap star is thankful to Love Island star Demi Jones – who underwent a full thyroidectomy after being diagnosed in May 2021 – for showing her social media followers where her lumps were as Abi’s were in the same spot.

She shared: “I booked in with a specialist and immediately she told me she was very concerned due to where my lumps were located and referred me for an urgent biopsy and scans.

“Fast forward two weeks and just before Easter weekend I had an appointment to see a consultant at the QE hospital who sat me down and told me that I had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and that I would need surgery and radiotherapy treatment.

“I never thought I would be told that I have cancer at the age of 28, you never think it’s going to happen to you. I wouldn’t have taken things further with seeing a specialist if I hadn’t seen @demijones1 post as her lumps were in the exact same place as mine.”

Abi is set to have surgery in the coming days, and has urged everyone to get checked out if they spot anything “unusual” on their bodies.

She added: “If ever you find a lump or something unusual on your body, never just think it’s nothing, don’t be told that you’re fine by the GP and you’re ‘young’, always get things checked out by a specialist if you can and insist on tests even if it turns out to be nothing, as catching things early is crucial for a good prognosis.

“This time next week I’ll be on the road to recovery after my operation.”

Abi played  Liberty Savage on the Channel 4 soap for more two years up until 2013.

She later quit to appear on The Voice, but failed to find success after none of the judges turned for her.

She originally won her Hollyoaks role by writing a song called Missing You – which was played when Carley Stenson’s character Steph Cunningham died in a house fire.