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Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
My memory blips and headaches were a tumour that deformed my skull over 15 years, says Hollyoaks actor
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HOLLYOAKS actor Craig Russell says he "nearly died" due to a lime-sized brain tumour that grew undetected for more than a decade and 'deformed' his skull. The 48-year-old first noticed he was experiencing memory loss, confusion, migraines and brain fog in September 2022. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 Craig Russell, 48, began experiencing headaches and memory blips in 2022 10 They were caused by a benign brain tumour that had been growing for 15 years 10 Craig underwent surgery to remove the tumour and rebuild his 'deformed' skull By January 2023, Craig was "all over the place" and his wife Kate, 40, urged him to get his symptoms checked out by a GP. Tests showed the Welsh actor, writer and producer - known for his roles in TV shows such as Hollyoaks and Netflix's Queen Cleopatra - was going blind in his left eye. Meanwhile, a non-cancerous tumour the size of a squashed lime was found growing in his brain, so large it was 'deforming' his skull. 'It stopped me in my tracks, I never thought it would happen to me,' Craig - who lives in Falmouth, Cornwall with Kate and their two sons - said. Doctors reckoned it could have been growing slowly for 15 years. Craig underwent a risky operation to get rid of the mass and rebuild damaged parts of his skull in March 2023, which could have killed him or left him blind. 'There was a very real chance I wouldn't survive the operation because one little mistake and that's it, or at best I could come out blind or have a stroke," the actor said. The actor suffered complications following the surgery but has since recovered fully and has been able to finish his latest film, Protein, that's been 10 years in the making. 'Someone asked me if I thought I'd ever see the film finished, which was a sobering idea as I nearly died before it came out,' Craig said. 'I'm so glad I was there to see it, so I just have a lot of pride for everyone involved. Beaming Davina McCall reveals she's got all clear from brain tumour after life-saving surgery 'I feel lucky to have had a brain tumour in a way because I've learnt so much about life, people and resilience.' In September 2022, Craig noticed he was experiencing out-of-character symptoms – such as memory loss, confusion, migraines and brain fog. He also heard a 'whooshing' sound emerge from the back of his head when producing a scream during filming for the movie Edge of Summer, which 'nearly caused [him] to collapse'. Craig was told by doctors that they'd "found something" in his brain after his GP visit in January 2023. 10 Craig was diagnosed with a meningioma 10 The actor was stunned at his diagnosis 10 He praised his wife Kate, 40, for her 'unwavering support' 10 Craig feared he'd die before seeing his new film Protein completed He was referred for further MRI scans towards the end of February and the actor was told he had a large, non-cancerous tumour growing in his brain, roughly the size of a squashed lime. Doctors suspected the tumour was a meningioma – a benign tumour that forms in the layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. This diagnosis was confirmed after his surgery. 'The tumour got so big it pushed my skull up and out, it deformed the back of my head,' Craig said. He was told the best course of action was to surgically remove the mass, but there could be risks. Symptoms of a benign brain tumour A benign brain tumour is a mass of cells that grows relatively slowly in the brain. Benign means it in not cancerous. Non-cancerous brain tumours tend to stay in one place and do not spread. Some slow-growing tumours may not cause any symptoms at first. When symptoms occur, it's because the tumour is putting pressure on the brain and preventing a specific area of the brain from working properly. As the tumour grows and increases pressure in the skull, you might experience: New, persistent headaches that are sometimes worse in the morning or when bending over or coughing Feeling sick all the time Drowsiness Vision problems, such as blurred or double vision, loss of part of your visual field and temporary vision loss Epileptic seizures that may affect the whole body, or you may just have a twitch in one area See a GP if you develop any of these symptoms. They'll examine you and ask about your symptoms. If they suspect you may have a tumour or are not sure what's causing your symptoms, they may refer you to a brain and nerve specialist for further investigation. Source: NHS 'My surgeon explained my tumour had been growing there for about 15 years, and it appeared to have enveloped all the important stuff I needed to survive,' the actor said. Craig's seven-hour operation on March 6 2023, at the Derriford Hospital in Plymouth involved cutting away a piece of his skull, which had become damaged by the tumour. From there, the tumour was removed and part of his skull was rebuilt from a plastic-concrete mix, held in place by bolts, before everything was sealed with '55 staples' into his scalp. Thankfully, the surgery was a success and the tumour was removed in its entirety. After suffering subsequent complications with swelling and excess fluid building up on his brain, Craig said he has since made a full recovery, finding weight-lifting helped the fluid to drain naturally. 'My head still hurts occasionally but I'm now back to full health,' Craig said. 'Listen to your body' In March 2024, Craig spoke in parliament to call on the UK Government to release more funding for research into the disease, and in September that year, he became an ambassador for Brain Tumour Research to champion for others impacted. New treatments for meningiomas, could be on the horizon, as researchers at the University of Plymouth have identified a protein that plays a significant role in their growth, according to Brain Tumour Research. By blocking the protein, researchers were able to slow or halt tumour cell growth in laboratory settings, unlocking the potential for new treatments, which Craig said is 'a big step forward'. Craig's latest film, Protein, which is currently out in select cinemas, marked an emotional experience for the actor as there was a chance he may not have seen the film's release. Protein is in select cinemas now and will be released on digital platforms from July 14. The actor is urging others to pay attention to worrying symptoms. 'If I had truly listened to my body, this would have all been done and dusted years ago – so if you think you've got something wrong, please just go and see your doctor.' 10 Craig spoke in parliament to call for more funding into brain tumour research 10 Craig has made a full recovery despite some initial complications
Wales Online
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Welsh Hollyoaks and Netflix star's lifesaving operation after migraine issue
Welsh Hollyoaks and Netflix star's lifesaving operation after migraine issue Craig Russell had started forgetting things and began suffering from terrible migraines before scans revealed he had a benign tumour in his brain which was the size of a lime and had been there for over a decade Craig Russell and his wife Kate who encouraged him to see a medical professional when he began forgetting things A Welsh actor said he nearly died after a large tumour grew undetected for more than a decade inside his brain. Craig Russell, known for his roles in TV shows such as Hollyoaks and Netflix's Queen Cleopatra, has shared his near-death experience which resulted in him having a deformed skull. Craig, 48, from Cwmtwrch in the Swansea Valleys and now living in Falmouth in Cornwall with his wife Kate, 40, and their two sons Teddy, 10 and Henry, seven, said he first noticed there might be a problem when he began forgetting things and then had migraines in September 2022. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . He then described a harrowing incident where a "whooshing" came from the back of his head when he gave a scream during filming for 2024 film Edge of Summer which he said "nearly caused me to collapse". By January 2023, grappling with deteriorating health, Craig admitted he was "all over the place" until Kate urged him to book an appointment with his GP. During the consultation he recalled how the doctor realised Craig was losing vision in his left eye and swiftly arranged a CT scan. Craig's head after surgery which removed the tumour which was the size of a compressed lime Article continues below Hours after the scan Craig's GP telephoned with unsettling news that they had "found something" within the imagery, prompting an urgent referral for additional MRI examinations towards the end of February 2023. The scans revealed he had a substantial benign tumour within his cranium comparable in dimensions to a compressed lime. Craig said: "It stopped me in my tracks. I never thought it would happen to me." Medics believed, given the size of the tumour, it had probably been developing inside his brain without him knowing for around 15 years. "The tumour got so big it pushed my skull up and out. It deformed the back of my head," he explained. Benign brain tumours can be dangerous even though they are not cancerous because they can still cause serious problems by pressing on and damaging the brain. So Craig underwent a risky operation in March 2023 to remove the mass which could have resulted in blindness or death. Part of his damaged skull was removed and rebuilt using a plastic-concrete mix held in place by bolts and staples in his scalp. Craig underwent a critical seven-hour surgery at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth where surgeons removed a section of his skull affected by the tumour. Craig thanked his family for supporting him through a very difficult period in his life Craig recalled: "My surgeon explained my tumour had been growing there for about 15 years and it appeared to have enveloped all the important stuff I needed to survive. There was a very real chance I wouldn't survive the operation because one little mistake and that's it – or at best I could come out blind or have a stroke." Craig, who praised his family and particularly his wife for her "unwavering support", recovered successfully and has since become an ambassador for Brain Tumour Research and a patron for children's charity Joseph's Smile. His most recent film, Protein, which premiered on June 13 this year featuring him in the role of a serial killer with a penchant for cannibalism, was a decade-long project. At one point the actor said it seemed uncertain whether he would survive to witness its release. "Someone asked me if I thought I'd ever see the film finished, which was a sobering idea as I nearly died before it came out," he said. "I'm so glad I was there to see it – I don't know if you can watch movies from the afterlife so I just have a lot of pride for everyone involved. I feel lucky to have had a brain tumour in a way because I've learnt so much about life, people, and resilience." Despite facing post-operative challenges with swelling and fluid build-up around his brain Craig revealed he has fully recovered, attributing his improvement to weight-lifting which encouraged the drainage of fluid. "My head still hurts occasionally but I'm now back to full health," he said. Craig is now an ambassador for the Brain Tumour Charity and called for more funding for research when he appeared in parliament last year He has advocated for increased government funding towards brain tumour research and he has taken on the role of an ambassador for Brain Tumour Research. Advancements in treating meningiomas, the kind of brain tumour Craig endured, may be coming as researchers from the University of Plymouth have pinpointed a significant protein influencing their growth, reports Brain Tumour Research. By targeting the protein scientists managed to decelerate or stop the proliferation of tumour cells in lab environments – a development that Craig described as "a big step forward". Craig's recent film, Protein, which is showing in select cinemas, was particularly poignant for him given the uncertainty over whether he would live to see its premiere. "The fact all that work we did is now being recognised favourably, especially by Mark Kermode, makes me so proud, so happy, and so relieved," he added. "If I had truly listened to my body this would have all been done and dusted years ago – so if you think you've got something wrong please just go and see your doctor." Article continues below Protein is currently screening in select cinemas and is set for digital release on July 14.
