Nicki Chapman, the former Pop Idol judge, has pledged to prioritise her health following a tumour scare five years ago. After being diagnosed with a brain tumour the size of a ‘golf ball’, she made a full recovery and is now determined to keep her health in ‘good shape’.
Speaking to Best Magazine, she said: “I’m all good. It’s been five years and I’ve just had a scan. Everything went my way. I am very grateful. I’m very lucky also that my tumour wasn’t cancerous – but my health is good. I try and stay as fit as I can. I am woman in my late 50s, so I have to look after myself.”
The first signs of her condition appeared in May 2019 when she began to experience slurred speech and blurred vision. Discussing her condition in 2020, she revealed: “My symptoms were very sudden, over 24 hours. Initially doctors thought I’d had a stroke but scans revealed a golf-ball sized meningioma.”
She described the shock of diagnosis and the distress of informing loved ones as even more upsetting. “It’s the initial shock of diagnosis and then the shock when you tell people that’s even more distressing. It’s like a slap. When you have to ring people your family and tell them; it’s just hideous.”
Alongside Simon Fuller, Nicki is recognised as one of the key figures behind the rise of the Spice Girls in the 1990s, after the band skyrocketed to fame under Heart Management, reports the Mirror.
Discussing her experiences with the renowned girl group, Nicki reflected: “Well, we had our moments! It was right at the beginning – I said to Simon (Fuller): ‘Go and find me a girl group’. And there they were. I was blown away by their determination. By the time I met them, they had lived in a house together for over a year – they had a real bond and such dedication.”
Nicki Chapman, after teaming up with Simon Fuller as the Creative Director at his company 19 Entertainment in 2001, went on to collaborate with artists such as Annie Lennox, S Club 7, and notably the Spice Girls.
Shifting gears in recent times, Nicki has focused on broadcasting, notably presenting the ‘Early Breakfast show’ on BBC Radio 2, along with co-hosting the much-loved BBC One programme ‘Escape to the Country’ since its 2009 inception.