EXCLUSIVE: EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick’s family trauma – as he admits saying ‘what’s wrong with me’ every day
EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick, who has played Jay on the show since 2006, was shocked when both his dad and uncle were both diagnosed with prostate cancer - especially because he's struggled with health anxiety
Most of us have been there, worrying about a health problem looming on the horizon. But for EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick that niggling fear could become overwhelming.
“I have terrible health anxiety, I’m a massive hypochondriac,” he says. “Every day, I wake up and go, ‘what’s wrong with me today?’”
This began with his teenage emetophobia, a fear of being sick, and developed into more health issues. Jamie, 29, has had therapy for the phobia and learnt ways to cope with his anxiety. He says: “The therapy sessions have really helped me. But I don’t think these things ever fully leave you. You just become equipped to be able to deal with it. I’m far from perfect, but I’m certainly in a much better place than I was 10 years ago.”
But recently Jamie, who has been Enders’ Jay Brown since 2006, was hit for six by the news that his dad Simon, 57, and uncle Charlie were diagnosed with prostate cancer. He also has a cousin currently going through treatment.
Jamie burst into tears when mum Sharon and Simon sat him down to tell him. “I was in fits crying, I was in floods,” he says. “When mum explained it had been caught early and was going to be OK, I was like, ‘OK…’.
With mum Sharon and dad Simon
“The surgery went well, the doctors were fantastic, and thankfully he’s been through his checks and it’s all clear, we’re all good.” His uncle has also recovered. I’m one of the very lucky ones. There’s a lot of people who sadly don’t have the same news as me.”
Jamie, born in Barking, East London, will be doing Sunday’s London Marathon for Prostate Cancer UK. He will also running in character alongside co-star Emma Barton, who plays Honey Mitchell.
Viewers have seen them training for the run in memory of Jay’s late wife Lola, (I’m A Celeb’s Danielle Harold), who died of a brain tumour in an award-winning plot last year.
According to Prostate Cancer UK, one in eight men, mostly aged 50 and over, will get the condition. It is more common among Black men and in those with a close family history of the cancer. Symptoms mainly involve changes in urinating habits. Difficulty starting to pee or fully emptying the bladder, a weak flow and needing to go more often, especially at night.
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BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Jamie has been on Eastenders since 2006
This does not automatically mean you have cancer, but getting things checked is important, as it is usually easily treatable when found early. Jamie has experienced bouts of prostatitis, an inflamed prostate due to an infection.
He says: “I was really worried and health anxiety kicking in, because I thought I had prostate cancer. Thankfully, I just had an infection.” As Simon has had the cancer, Jamie is at an increased risk.
Anyone concerned can ask their GP for a Prostate-Specific Antigen blood test, which can help detect cancer, from age 50, or 45 if they have a family history or known higher risk. But despite his anxiety, Jamie will not let his father’s diagnosis stop him enjoying life.
“It’s about having that in mind. I have a responsibility to myself to live my life to the fullest, because everything can change.” Jamie and Emma did the marathon in 2019 in honour of EastEnder Barbara Windsor, who died the following year.
Emma Barton and Jamie at the 2019 London Marathon (
Getty Images)
Jamie will run the Marathon again this year
Even though he has trained hard, Jamie does not consider himself a natural runner but does enjoy it. “If the weather’s nice, I like being able to go running around the forest. It gets me thinking about nicer things happening in my life, I kind of go back to nice memories.
“My mind just never stops, so it’s a nice time for me, to compartmentalise things in my brain.”
Clean-living Jamie, who has never smoked, drunk or taken drugs, was taken under the wing of Enders’ Phil Mitchell, who treated him like a second son.
Jamie won best dramatic performance by a young actor at 2008’s British Soap Awards and best soap actor at last year’s Inside Soap Awards. And his quickstep with Nancy Xu landed him the 2023 Strictly Christmas special glitterball.
He previously denied rumours he was dated Danielle, stressing they are just good friends. And with big plots to come, he only has time for a few simple pleasures, such as playing guitar, football, snooker, mixing with pals and taking little trips away.
He says the marathon will be exciting. “A few of our film crew will be with us. I’ve just got to get around.”
