‘It was a hell of a shock when a huge handful of my hair came out in the shower’
In a Stafford Hair Clinic special this week as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Paul Stafford speaks to TV presenter Pamela Ballantine about her recent diagnosis, getting the right wig and her road to recovery after the loss of those trademark silve
OVER the last 40 years I’ve been fortunate enough to have clients who have gone the course with me. We’ve travelled the decades together, the highs and lows of life shared and though I know that ultimately it’s primarily a business arrangement, with a lot of clients it becomes personal.
Television broadcaster and personality Pamela Ballantine is a Northern Irish broadcasting legend. Loved by the public, admired by her colleagues and almost always on the list of invited guests at any awards event or gala dinner— if she isn’t already booked to compere the show itself. Pamela is multi-talented in pretty much all aspects of entertainment and has done everything from news reading to motor racing shows, farming programmes and has even been known to tread the boards in theatre productions.
More recently though she is the presenter and anchor woman on UTV Life, the weekly chat show and current affairs programme that airs every Friday night at 7pm on the station.
With a glittering career and infectious zest for life it was a shock when earlier this year Pamela was diagnosed with breast cancer.
I received the phone call from my good friend who calmly and stoically relayed the news of her diagnosis and that she would eventually lose her hair. In complete shock, I listened as Pamela in typical true-to form character outlined the timescale in a matter of-fact style, while not holding back on humour. If you know Pamela at all, her quick-witted responses and sense of humour are gifts that any decent comedian would be proud of.
For any woman to lose her hair in any situation is traumatic but adding a cancer diagnosis to that can be devastating. So when your job is to present a weekly tv programme in front of millions of viewers, one can only imagine the pain and anguish that individual is going through.
But Pamela Ballentine is made of some seriously strong stuff and that trademark haircut and colour of hers wasn’t going to be sacrificed easily. So with a clean bill of health and the recent recipient of the Ulster Tatler lifetime achievement award, Pamela was once again in my salon chair where we discussed everything from her career to the effect her diagnosis had on her hair and much more. PS: You may have been one of the first female broadcasters to fully embrace your grey/white hair , and though the grey hair phenomenon is now very cool and highly sought-after, you have been rocking the natural look for close to four decades. Was there or had there ever been any pressure to colour your hair and has grey hair hindered or helped your career in any way? PB: As a child growing up I had very dark brunette — almost black — hair and I found my found my first grey hair when I was about 19. I might be a bit of a cheapskate as I realised quite quickly that if I started dyeing it, it was going to cost me a fortune. I am very lucky that my hair turned grey in such a uniform way with grey streaks before gradually turning to the shade it is now.
I have been to hairdressers over the years who did suggest I might think of putting a dye in but I just felt it wasn’t for me. I am so glad I never started dying it as when I started working for UTV in my twenties, it became a bit of a trademark.
PS: How did your work colleagues and public react to your hair as it became more obviously white? Was there a belief that that the ‘white’ was actually coloured?
PB: Because my hair gradually went grey or white, my friends and colleagues never really passed comment as they were used to it. Occasionally I would meet people who would ask if I ever thought about dyeing it, and some would ask what colour of dye I use to get it the shade it is and then wouldn’t believe it was natural. I believe you were asked a few times to dye your client’s hair the same shade as you dyed mine. PS: The story of how I came to be your hairdresser is quite funny, because I wasn’t your first choice to cut your hair from long to short. How did that happen?
PB: In 1990/91 ITV held a 27 hour non-stop fundraising broadcast called Telethon and I was one of the UTV presenters working on it. At the time I was getting my hair cut at Company Hair on Bloomfield Avenue and they held a fundraising event for Telethon.
The owner, Alan Boyce, had often asked if I had ever considered getting my hair cut short (at the time it was in the style of Linda Evans from Dynasty) but I wasn’t keen. However he put me on the spot when he came on to Telethon to present the cheque and said live on air that he would donate an extra £100 if I got my hair cut short, so I really couldn’t say no.
The day of my appointment a young stylist called Paul Stafford was tasked with cutting my hair. I don’t know if it’s a real memory or something I imagined but I am sure those scissors were trembling.
PS: Your haircut and colour is almost a trademark and is always a topic of conversation by admiring clients when you are in my salon. Do you feel it’s an important aspect to your professional image?
PB: I do. I believe your hair is an extension of your personality and, as I have said, my short grey hair has become my trademark. Even though I am known as the woman with the short grey/white hair, the style has changed a lot over the years. As you know, I never come in to the salon and say “I’d like you to cut my hair this way”.
I think the conversation usually goes along the lines of, Paul “what are we going to do today?” Me “no idea. Whatever you think”. The most important thing in a client/ hairdresser relationship is trust.
PS: The quality and condition of your hair is so good, what do you put that down to — genetics? Diet? Or just luck?
PB: I think it is a combination of genetics and luck. My mum had grey hair and my dad was bald so thankfully I take after Mum. I wash and condition my hair every day but I don’t use any specialist hair products. I do drink a lot of water and as I have got
older I take various vitamin and health supplement so maybe they help. Who knows?
PS Over the years we have experimented with different lengths and shapes but you are a short-haired girl at heart. But during lockdown like everyone else, you couldn’t get a haircut and grew it long. Did you ever consider keeping it that way?
PB: Oh good heavens no. It was good craic trying to do different styles as it got longer — I ended up just sweeping it back with product but I couldn’t wait for your doors to reopen. I think I might even have been your first customer after lockdown. PS Earlier this year you rang me with the devastating news of your cancer diagnosis, you were so positive and upbeat, whilst on the other line I was in complete shock. But in true Pammy style you had a plan and seemed to have everything under control.
PB: I don’t know if I had a plan. I am quite a positive person and I knew that my hair was going to start falling out but it was a hell of a shock exactly two weeks to the day after my first chemo when a huge handful came out in the shower. I remember standing there talking to myself saying “Seriously... two weeks.. is that all I get?. A lot of it came out within the first two weeks and I was wearing a wig within three weeks.
PS Your coming to terms with the inevitable hair loss was beyond brave, given your very public profile and of course that “famous” hair. Your focus always seemed to be on the recovery and return to your normal life. Where do you think that strength came from? PB: I have absolutely no idea where that strength came from. I actually surprised myself. I don’t know if it is because I had no symptoms, no lump, nothing and it was almost like an out of body experience, like it was happening to someone else. Lucy, my oncologist, has been so supportive in me wanting to keep working as much as I could and said she found that a lot of her patients seemed to get through the treatment better if they kept working.
I have never been a “woe is me” type person. I remember when my dad was diagnosed with cancer I had a lot of things planned, which involved travelling a lot and I asked my mum what I should do. She said “just go about your business. Your father does not like miseries” and that is something I have lived by.
I know everyone is different and reacts in different ways. My default setting in horrible situations is humour — sometimes misplaced —so I hope I haven’t offended anyone with my responses. One thing I will say is if you get called for a mammogram or any health check then go. I would not have known I had breast cancer if I had not been to a regular breast screening appointment in November.
I was first diagnosed with breast cancer on December 29. My first chemo was on January 25 and my hair first came out on February 8. Thankfully I am in a position to be able to buy a wig and had been to see Therese at Tresses on February 1. She is brilliant. I took along a photo of my hair prechemo and she had a wig that she was able to cut into the right shape.
I brought Helen to meet you on February 14, St Valentine’s Day, as you know my hair better than I do. She is named after the actress Helen Mirren who I admire so much. She embraces her age with style. I got a back up wig from Therese which I named 2 Helen, as in “2 Hell’N Back”. Therese also gave me a circle of grey hair on an elastic hairband to wear under hats so it looks like my hair. I called it Cersi, after the character in Game of Thrones, but I won’t go in to the reason why. I didn’t get my head shaved until April 17 and bizarrely felt quite liberated when it went.
I remember the day I knew my wispy hair had to be shaved off when I took a photo while having chemo and I thought I looked like the actor Gregor Fisher who had a comb-over in the Hamlet ad. I think you were nearly more upset at having to shave my head and I remember just saying “let’s get this done.”
As it came off I also remember you exclaiming “my god, you’re a good looking woman”. I was so chuffed. When it was first shaved I was expecting a smooth bald head but I was really surprised that my head was covered in what was like baby fluff.
It has now been cut twice and I am fascinated to see how it will grow back. Helen is not getting too many outings these days. My chemo finished on May 18 and Lucy rang me on June 6 to say that I had had a complete pathological response to it, the tumours had gone, which was just incredible. I had surgery to remove where the tumours had been in my breast and 16 lymph nodes removed on July 5 and it was confirmed on July 18 that pathology showed there was no sign of cancer. I had five days of radiotherapy at the end of August just to make sure any lingering cancer cells were killed off. I still have nine more chemo type injections to get, which are every three weeks, but they don’t cause the same severe side effects.
PS The response to your authenticity honesty and bravery by the Irish public has overwhelmingly supportive and full of love for you. You literally have not been off the box even through the darkest days.
PB I completely underestimated the reaction to me going public with my news. I have been blown away by the response and support I have received. People have been so kind. I know I work on the telly but I am not one for seeking the limelight so I do find it a bit overwhelming. I have also heard from a lot of people who have been through the same thing, some with not the same positive outcome I have, which has been terribly sad. I have also heard from people who have said they have been inspired to go for health checks, which is why I went public.
PS You recently received an Ulster Tatler lifetime achievement award. The awards were decided long before you went public with your diagnosis. After so many years at the top of Irish TV and radio you still seem to have the same energy and enthusiasm for your profession as you did all those years ago and you don’t seem intent on slowing down. What’s next for Pamela Ballantine?
PB I was so delighted to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award —the fact that it was decided long before anyone knew I had cancer was lovely. I am celebrating getting my All Ireland Bus Pass this month and next year I will be celebrating 40 years in UTV. I still love what I do and meeting incredible people so I have no plans for quitting any time soon — sorry if that comes as bad news.