The presenter, 50, may need chemotherapy and her third husband Peter Gianfrancesco said: “We are exhausted from the stress.”

A routine mammogram three weeks ago found a tumour, which was removed.

But now further tests have uncovered cancer in a lymph node. More nodes will be removed in a new operation.

It is hoped that her daytime Channel Five show, Trisha, will not be affected as it is recorded several weeks in advance.

It is just the latest blow to Trisha, whose daughters are 18 and 13 and who lives with mental health charity chief Mr Gianfrancesco in Norfolk.

She was beaten as a child and battled eating disorders.

He first husband, an Australian politician, was secretly gay and her second husband cheated on her.

Soon afterwards, she took an overdose and spent four months in a psychiatric hospital. She also found the man she thought was her father was not related to her.

Her sister, who suffered from schizophrenia, committed suicide by setting fire to herself.