Sid Owen is "praying" for Danniella Westbrook after she revealed she's battling womb cancer

Speaking to the Daily Mirror newspaper, he said: "I'm gobsmacked. Wish her well. She's a strong girl and had to battle worse. My prayers are out for her and her family."

Danniella is set to have a hysterectomy - a procedure to remove the uterus and sometimes the cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes and other surrounding structures - in three weeks' time but, in the meantime, is awaiting test results to find out whether the cancer has spread to other parts.

She said: "I've always said I am not scared of dying. But when the doctor said, 'You have cancer', straight away my thoughts turned to Jade [Goody] and that I don't want to die. I know I need to fight. After what happened with Jade I was frightened to talk to anyone about my cancer at first. She was my friend and what happened was so awful. There is part of me that thinks I would rather just be ill and not know about it - to just get on with life.

"But then I thought about the kids and I thought that is a selfish way to be. I've tried to commit suicide before but getting this diagnosis has made me realise I don't want to die. I want to live and sort out my health. I know I have to fight, I know I have to get up and battle it."

The actress - who has kids; Kai, 21, and Jody, 16 - watched her mother go through the same ordeal when she was 15 years old but is hopeful because she managed to beat it.

She explained: "My mum had the same cancer when I was 15. I'm 44 now and she is still here. Her treatment was on the NHS and it worked. They are taking me in in three weeks for a full hysterectomy. Before they take it out they won't know to what extent the cancer has grown."

Danniella hasn't had the easiest of times over the past few years as she lost her septum in 2000 due to her excessive use of cocaine and then sunk into deep depression in 2016 after she developed the serious bloodstream infection septicaemia - which, if left untreated, can lead to life-threatening sepsis - in the roof of her mouth following botched dental work.