Lifesaving message from lounge
Cancer doesn’t discriminate and it’s time for that check-up you may have been putting off, according to Gogglebox’s Isabelle Silberry, writes Seanna Cronin
ISABELLE Silbery is looking forward to returning to a bit of normalcy in front of the telly.
The Gogglebox star, who returns with mum Kerry and grandma Emily in the ninth season of the Logie-winning Foxtel/Ten co-production which follows everyday Aussies as they react to the week that was on TV, recently shared details of a health scare with fans.
In an Instagram post the single mum revealed she underwent surgery last month to remove cancer polyps from her bowel after realising something wasn’t quite right.
“I’m a very open person. If I wasn’t honest with myself and friends and my doctor I wouldn’t be so lucky,” she tells The Guide.
“My motivation for sharing it with the public was to put the message out there for people not to ignore their bodies. We get to a new year and go ‘Yeah I’ll get on to that’ but time can be a huge factor. Don’t be embarrassed and afraid to get anything you’re not sure about checked out.
“People might see me on Gogglebox and think she’s young and fit, but it can happen to anybody. I was really moved and happy and proud of myself that I did put it out there. I got so many messages from men and women saying they were at the doctors and they weren’t going to put it off anymore.”
Returning to our screens this week, she’s looking forward to the flood of reality shows including I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! starring former Goggleboxers Angie Kent and Yvie Jones.
“It’s like your friends are on a show. We’re just so proud of them,” she says. “They’re doing exactly what we would want them to do, which is being themselves.
“I hope they stay on to the end. They’re strong powerful women with great opinions.
“And of course there’s Married At First Sight. There have been so many seasons of it, but every time it gets me. I find myself addicted, I can’t stop watching it. I can’t wait to watch it with Em. She can never keep up and it’s always funny to keep her informed.
“I love the reality stuff, just not the cooking shows. They drive us up the wall. We’d rather eat than watch someone cook for an hour; it either makes us hungry or frustrated.”
A new household of armchair critics are also joining the show. With five seasons under her belt, Isabelle says reviewers respond to authenticity.
“Just be yourself and don’t be afraid to have open arguments with your family or partner or friend – whoever you’re sitting on the couch with – because that’s real life,” she says. “When people resonate with you and your family it’s a bonus. It’s nice to connect with people on that level because we’re just sharing our everyday life in our lounge room.”