Star of the UK version of The Office Lucy Davis has revealed she has been diagnosed with incurable stage four breast cancer but is “not scared of whatever comes next”.

The 53-year-old who played Dawn Tinsley, Martin Freeman’s character’s love interest in the show, shared the update on Instagram early on Wednesday (AEST) after being diagnosed with cancer a year and a half ago. She said it had now metastasised in her bones, making it too late for chemotherapy.

“A year and a half ago I was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, which has metastasised to my bones. Specifically to my spine, right hip, and my ribs. The cancer is incurable, and too late for chemo,” Davis said in the caption to her post.

“As of now, I’m trying to live out whatever might be left of my life in as fun a way as I possibly can. I always like to find the teachable moments in anything negative that happens. And cancer has not disappointed in that regard; there’s a lot I have learned from it, and I’m grateful for that.

“I’m not scared of whatever comes next. I’m at peace with it. I’ll see my Gracie [her dog, which died in 2024] sooner than expected, and for me, leaving my physical body just means going home. Any and all grieving is for my family; it’s far harder for them than for me.”

In the video post, Davis rings the bell – a ceremony for cancer patients marking the end of treatment – to applause. In the caption, she urges readers not to ignore small lumps or signs as she had.

“The initial lump that I felt wasn’t a ‘lump’ as such; rather a kind of hard spot. Really tiny. I almost didn’t bother getting it checked. So I guess I’m saying don’t ignore anything – get everything checked out,” Davis said.

Davis, who also had roles in the Wonder Woman films and the comic zombie horror Sean of the Dead, said that as her pain intensified, tasks such as standing or walking could become difficult and told her followers to expect to see her in a wheelchair from time to time.

“If you see me toddling around in one, feel free to give me a push,” she joked, adding that humour has been “vital” to her throughout this journey.

“I asked my friends and family to make fun of me as much as possible (which they’re really good at, and most importantly of all, to not treat me like a sick person. There’s nothing that will make you feel more unwell than being treated as if you’re unwell,” she said.

In her post, Davis said that despite her pain and diagnosis, she would continue to pursue her activism for animal rights and continue to work.

“I’m still going to keep up all my work for animal rights. It’s so important to me. And I still would like to keep working. I’m perfectly able to do so, and acting is one of the biggest joys in my life,” she wrote.

Jenna Fischer, who played Pam Beesly, the equivalent of Davis’s character Dawn in the US version of The Office, commented below the post supporting her decision to work with cancer.

“Beautiful post. Love you lots. And yes to working with cancer! Let’s spread that message far and wide! How working is such a comfort,” Fischer said.

Davis signed off her post to fellow cancer battlers, saying that: “For those of you on a similar journey to mine, I do wish you well. Cancer asks a lot from us, physically and mentally”.

“We all get to do it however we choose.”

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