‘Phew’: Magda Szubanski announces she is in remission after cancer battle

Magda Szubanski, one of Australia’s most beloved comedians, who was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer in May, has announced she is in remission.

“Seems I’m not dead. Though I better check with social media because they know more about me than I do,” she quipped in a video posted to Instagram on Friday. “I’ve completed chemo and I am now in remission. So, phew, big relief. It’s not a cure, but because I got a good remission, that hopefully means that I’ll keep the cancer at bay for a good long time.”

The 64-year-old star, who is best known for her role as Sharon Strzelecki in Kath and Kim, was diagnosed with stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma, a rare and fast-moving blood cancer that affects white blood cells, last year. The cancer was discovered during a routine breast screen. She began a new type of treatment that combines chemotherapy and immunotherapy, called the Nordic Protocol.

After sharing news of her remission, Szubanski thanked her fans for the love and support they expressed following her diagnosis. She described it as a “tsunami coming at her” and said it helped her both emotionally and physically.

“I felt so loved up and cared for, so eternal gratitude,” she said. “Also, eternal gratitude to my medical team … There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t give profound thanks to the medical community, those beautiful people, and also to the common sense of the Australian people that we see how practical and compassionate it is to have a really good medical system. Ours is really one of the best in the world, including the First World countries.”

She ended the video by joking about not being a natural blonde and, on a more serious note, implored people to avoid hugging her and thereby exposing her to potentially harmful germs.

“Please be careful. I can’t hug,” she said. “When you’re going through the chemo your [immunity is] annihilated. Even in the maintenance phase, which is where I am now, you’re still immunocompromised. So we’re not being precious and I would love to hug you. I can’t because what’s a sniffle for you could really maybe kill me.”

The caption of her video cautioned people against fake news stories made in her image: “DON’T believe anything unless you see it HERE on my Instagram feed or from a reputable news source,” it read. In January Szubanski confirmed a series of images of her circulating on social media were illegitimate, and warned supporters not to donate to fundraisers from unofficial channels.

In August she delivered an emotional televised message to her fans after being inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame. “When I go online and look at those messages [of support], every time my heart lifts and I feel that much stronger – to deal with the cancer. So thank you for the love that you are just pouring my way, I really feel it,” she said.

Szubanski has battled other health struggles over the years, including osteoarthritis and autoimmune arthritis, some of which she detailed in the 2022 ABC series Magda’s Big National Health Check.

She has been a favourite on Australian television for more than 40 years, with early appearances on the ABC as part of The D-Generation, followed by Fast Forward on Seven.

In 1995 her most famous character was born. While working on Big Girl’s Blouse, Australia’s first all-women sketch comedy, Szubanski created Sharon Strzelecki, a character so iconic she eventually brought it on to Kath and Kim in 2002.

Strzelecki, or “Shazza” as her fictional best friend Kim would call her, immediately won over audiences with her vigorous Irish dancing, penchant for “footy franks” and general helplessness in love. The character was so iconic that in 2002 Szubanski won an Australian Film Institute Award for best supporting actress in a television drama or comedy for the Kath and Kim episode “Wedding”.

The comic actor has won many other accolades, including most popular personality at the 1991, 1992 and 1996 Logie awards, as well as various writing awards.

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