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How Magda Szubanski faced her darkest days with humour
Magda Szubanski has spent much of the past 40 years making Australia laugh.
But for 18 months, she has been facing a brutal stage four cancer diagnosis – and the fact it could return.
Behind the scenes, Magda has been facing a brutal stage four cancer diagnosis – and the fact that it could return. 60 Minutes
“The great news is I’m in deep remission from my cancer,” the 65-year-old told 60 Minutes in her first interview since revealing her diagnosis.
It’s a milestone worth celebrating, though Szubanski knows remission doesn’t mean she is in the clear. The median survival rate is 8.5 years
“It means that you’re not cured, but it’s at bay,” she said.
“So, it’s an incurable – what’s called an incurable relapse in cancer.
“So, there’s – it’s almost sure that it will come back. And it’s a question of when and then how bad.”
The iconic comedian was diagnosed with stage four mantle cell lymphoma in May 2025 after months of experiencing fatigue and pain.
What followed were debilitating rounds of chemotherapy targeting cancer in her lymph nodes, bone marrow and spleen.
“It completely annihilates your immune system … it was freaking hard,” she said.
But despite the pain, Szubanski’s trademark humour was never far away.
After losing her hair during treatment, she found an unexpected upside.
“It’s like all I had to do was get cancer, and finally, I’d have a good hair day,” she said.
The world learning about Magda’s cancer diagnosis through this social media video. Instagram/@magda_szubanski
Szubanski also shared for the first time that older children sexually abused her as a young girl.
Facing a terminal outlook has driven her decision to speak openly about her life and health to help others.
“I actually feel relieved of a burden because to say it out loud, it just, you can just feel this change of, like, ‘Wow, it’s lost its power over me. That shame has lost its power over me’,” she said.
Cancer has given her a different perspective on what she wants to leave behind.
“There’s a part of me that thinks, If there’s anything that I know that’s gonna help someone else, I don’t know how long I’ve got,” she said.
“I’m gonna bloody share it. I’m gonna put it out there.”
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
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