Julie Walters 'will only return to acting for Mamma Mia'

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief | 20 October 2020

Dame Julie Walters reveals that she has retired from acting following a battle with bowel cancer.

Veteran actress Dame Julie Walters has revealed that she has retired from the profession and will only be tempted back for another Mamma Mia! film.

The 70-year-old was diagnosed with stage III bowel cancer in 2018 and after 18 months of treatment including chemotherapy, she is now in remission.

Speaking to The Times for a new in-depth interview, the two-time Oscar nominee shared her theory that her cancer had been caused by her career as an actress.

"The oncologist said to me, 'What do you think has caused the cancer?' And the first thing that came to my mind was acting. Acting caused it," she said.

"Because of the way that I approach it. I have to be totally in it. Everything has to be just so.

"It's very stressful. You're immediately above the parapet. You're being judged. It's a stressful job and I don't sleep when I'm working. It's not good for me."

She added: "After I had the operation and I was thinking about the future, I thought, 'I don't want to work again.... unless it's another Mamma Mia!'"

The two Mamma Mia! movies - musicals inspired by the music of ABBA - brought in a combined total of more than $1 billion (£770 million) at the worldwide box office.

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