{"id":32044,"date":"2023-04-12T16:09:29","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T14:09:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1814701"},"modified":"2023-04-12T21:34:36","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T19:34:36","slug":"deborah-james-documentary-review-a-moving-uplifting-tribute-to-the-brilliant-bowelbabe","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/deborah-james-documentary-review-a-moving-uplifting-tribute-to-the-brilliant-bowelbabe\/","title":{"rendered":"Deborah James documentary review: a moving, uplifting tribute to the brilliant Bowelbabe"},"content":{"rendered":"

BBC Two’s upcoming film shows just how bubbly, strong and inspirational Dame Deborah James was as she literally danced in the face of death. <\/p>

By Lauren Morris\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 12 April 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

On 10th May 2022, Dame Deborah James spoke on BBC Radio 5 Live for her final episode of You, Me and the Big C, the podcast she\u2019d co-hosted since 2018, telling producer Mike Holt that she had stopped active treatment for stage 4 bowel cancer. Having spent five years living with the cancer, the broadcaster and activist was receiving end of life care and spending her last few weeks at her parents\u2019 house in Woking, Surrey.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose that\u2019s it from me \u2013 I can\u2019t believe it. That is it from me, which is a very sad thing to say but I\u2019m pleased that I have got to the point where I can say it,\u201d she said tearfully down the line. \u201cWe\u2019ll see each other again, somewhere, somehow, dancing.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is just one of the many devastating yet awe inspiring moments featured in Deborah James: Bowelbabe In Her Own Words<\/a> \u2013 the BBC Two film following the journalist over half a decade as she dances, documents her treatment and raises cancer awareness up until her untimely death at the age of 40 in June last year.<\/p>\n

Together with archive footage and social media posts, James takes viewers along with her on the rollercoaster of her diagnosis as she makes videos with her kids, celebrates remission, starts chemotherapy when her cancer returns and sets out to do as much living as possible with the time she has left.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Dame Deborah James.<\/span><\/figcaption> @Bowelbabe<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

While the documentary shows the grim reality and \u201crelentless every day routine\u201d that comes with stage four cancer, from James lugging around a huge red bag full of the various medicines she takes to dealing with losing feeling in her hands and feet as a chemotherapy side effect, it\u2019s also a testament to the broadcaster\u2019s persistent positivity as she quite literally dances in the face of death.<\/p>\n

Cultivating a following on social media through her BowelBabe Instagram account<\/a>, which currently boasts almost one million followers and numerous videos of James boogieing in hospital gowns, we watch as she speaks about \u201cbreaking down perceptions\u201d about having an \u201cold man\u2019s cancer\u201d one sparkly dress at a time, whilst bringing dark humour to You, Me and the Big C with fellow cancer patients Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuddenly the world changes\u2026 it literally falls out your bum. For me it came flowing,\u201d she laughs in the 5Live studio.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Dame Deborah James.<\/span><\/figcaption> @Bowelbabe<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Aside from her awareness efforts \u2013 that involve dressing up in a child\u2019s poo costume and working with ITV\u2019s Lorraine on the No Butts campaign \u2013 Bowelbabe In Her Own Words sees James become candid about her family life and the \u201cnightmares\u201d she has re-enacting the moment she told her two kids about her cancer diagnosis. Despite putting on a brave face, James admits that she \u201ccan\u2019t think about the future\u201d and the fact that she\u2019ll be leaving her loved ones behind, whilst also coping with the deaths of Rachael Bland and Kelly Smith, who also lost their battles with cancer.<\/p>\n

Ultimately however, the BBC Two documentary shows just how bubbly, strong and hilarious the broadcaster was in the last few years of her life \u2013 and just how much she achieved. The Bowelbabe Fund, which she set up shortly before her death, has raised over \u00a311 million since James passed, funds which will go towards developing cutting edge treatment to buy others more time.<\/p>\n

Whether she was telling her \u201celigible bachelor\u201d husband that she\u2019d do her \u201cdamned hardest to come and haunt him\u201d if he dated specific women after her death, or facing her fear of flying by piloting a plane over Portsmouth and running marathons, James\u2019s approach to living teaches us all a valuable lesson \u2013 one that she shares in her last moments on You, Me and the Big C.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, please enjoy life because it is so precious. All I want right now is more time and more life. Oh and also, check your poo. I can\u2019t leave on any other word than check your poo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deborah James: Bowelbabe In Her Own Words airs on Monday 17th April at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Check out more of our\u00a0Documentaries<\/a>\u00a0coverage or visit our\u00a0TV Guide<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Streaming Guide<\/a>\u00a0to see what\u2019s on tonight.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only \u00a31 with delivery to your home \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>subscribe now<\/strong><\/a>. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to\u00a0<\/strong>The Radio Times Podcast<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

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