Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the former Big Brother housemate appeared with a shaven head and said she was in "shock" when she was told she had bowel cancer on 1 October.

"I feel like I've still not really taken it on board. I feel like I'm sort of just trying to get through each day," she said.

Speaking about her illness, she said: "I just noticed that when I was going to the toilet that things started to change and I noticed mucus at first and then I started to notice a bit of blood and it started to get a bit more regular."

"I thought 'should I ring the doctors or should I not?' because COVID was happening. I didn't want to bother the GP and then in the end it got so consistent that I thought I better call up just in case."

The 42-year-old had surgery to remove a tumour in October and is now receiving chemotherapy.

"I see the chemotherapy as my little snipers getting rid of anything left. I've got a stoma in the meantime, which I've named Audrey."

The former I'm A Celebrity.. contestant revealed her surprise at the cancer diagnosis.

"I didn't realise I could get cancer. I know that sounds silly because I know now it can happen to anyone at any age," she said.

"I tried to keep fit and well and eat the right things and I just noticed that my digestion started to get a bit funny and after all the stuff we ate in the jungle I wasn't surprised."

She appeared on the morning talk show with her long-term partner Kate Holderness, who spoke about how difficult it had been not visiting her in hospital due to coronavirus restrictions.

Roberts, from Southport, Merseyside, is hoping to raise awareness of bowel cancer symptoms to encourage others to go to their doctor early if they have any concerns.

She found fame in the third series of Channel 4's Big Brother in 2002, appearing alongside housemates Kate Lawler, Alison Hammond and Jade Goody, who was later diagnosed with cervical cancer and died in 2009.