Lauren Mahon, Rachael Bland and Dame Deborah James hosted the BBC 5 Live podcast (Picture: BBC/Claire Wood)
The hosts of You, Me and the Big C have announced they’re stepping down from the podcast.
Premiering in 2018 on BBC 5 Live, the trailblazing podcast is about living with cancer and was originally hosted by Lauren Mahon, Rachael Bland and Dame Deborah James, but following Bland’s passing, her widower Steve Bland joined the show.
However, Lauren and Steve have now admitted that since the death of Dame Deborah last June, the podcast’s subject matter has started ‘taking a toll’.
Six months after the podcast launched, Bland passed away aged 40 from breast cancer while Dame Deborah died last year, also aged 40.
Dame Deborah was originally diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and her battle with the disease lasted almost six years.
During an appearance on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday, Lauren, 37, and Steve, 41, confirmed they’d be leaving the podcast but expressed hope that You, Me and the Big C would find new hosts.
Lauren and Bland’s widower Steve Bland explained their decision on BBC Breakfast (Picture: BBC)
Six months after the podcast launched, Bland passed away aged 40 from breast cancer while Dame Deborah died last year, also aged 40 (Picture: @girlsvcancer)
Dame Deborah was originally diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and her battle with the disease lasted almost six years (Picture: Instagram/deborahjames)
Lauren – who has been cancer-free for five years – told hosts John Kay and Sally Nugent that she and Steve have had ‘many chats’ about whether to continue presenting the podcast, seeing as Me and the Big C is a ‘public service’.
However, according to The Mirror, she noted: ‘[But] we don’t feel like it’s for us to continue it.’
‘How do we get back into that studio without these two remarkable women that began this podcast?’ Lauren added.
‘People are getting diagnosed everyday – that’s not going to change. The world of cancer changes. So I think it would be more appropriate and probably more poignant and relevant to get people that are going through it now.’
Lauren said she and Steve have had ‘many chats’ about whether to continue presenting the podcast (Picture: Keith Mayhew/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock)
Lauren said: ‘How do we get back into that studio without these two remarkable women that began this podcast?’ (Picture: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
The podcasters also revealed that a live version of You, Me and the Big C had been in the works for some time and Dame Deborah had been excited about the concept.
However, the pandemic put the live episode on pause and the hosts never got round to recording it before Dame Deborah’s death.
‘It was a big deal for Deb, actually, particularly. Deborah was really excited about it,’ said Steve.
‘She was so looking forward to it, planning all the outfits and all the different areas to go.’
Lauren and Steve revealed plans to go ahead with the live show and said the episode would be their last.
Touching upon the emotional toll hosting the podcast has taken on them, Steve explained: ‘It just takes a toll and it’s heavy and it’s hard to kind of keep talking about this stuff – particularly when we’ve had to deal with obviously Rachel and Deborah over the last few years.’
Expressing his wishes for You, Me and the Big C to continue with a new host, he pointed out: ‘It’s a really important thing for so many people.’
Lauren was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 when she was just 31.
Last year, marked her fifth year of being cancer-free and over summer Lauren and her late co-stars were honoured at the British Podcast Awards.
Taking to the stage to accept You, Me and the Big C’s trophy, Lauren honoured Rachael and Dame Deborah, telling the audience: ‘Me and Deb had a little joke when Rachael died that I couldn’t just do the podcast by myself because I couldn’t call it Me, Me and the Big C.
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‘The podcast is our happy place. It’s a bit surreal to be standing here without both my girls. We knew this was a risk, that some of us would die when we started it, but we wanted to continue to champion it.
‘There’ is more work to be done. I don’t know what it looks like, but the podcast has always been a service.’
Macmillan cancer support
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information.
You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.
The podcast has been life-changing for many.
