In an exclusive interview with Closer online, Real Housewives of Cheshire star Seema Malhotra has opened up about her health condition and how she "never" intended to talk about it on TV.
Seema, who has starred on The Real Housewives of Cheshire for the best part of five years, recently opened up to viewers about her health and the discomfort she's facing after developing ovarian cysts.
Now, she's considering surgery to remove her ovaries as a result of the pain - which she described as "horrific" and "excruciating" - persisting throughout 2020.
CHECK OUT: AXED Real Housewives of Cheshire stars - where are they now?
Axed Real Housewives Of Cheshire Stars - new slider
1 of 18Magali Gorré
"If you're gonna cross me, you'd better not cross me. You don't mess with Magali."Magali starred in Real Housewives of Cheshire in 2015. Although the housewife only appeared in series one and two, after shouting-matches and rifts, she definitely left a lasting impression on her co-stars. Magali even found herself wrapped up in a twitter-spat with RHOC star Ester Dee in spring 2018, when Ester claimed she didn't know who Magali was.
2 of 18Magali Gorré
Four years on, Magali is still living the highlife. The football-mum prides herself on her luxurious lifestyle, which she regularly shares with her 100k+ Instagram followers.
3 of 18Missé Beqiri
Missé Beqiri joined the RHOC cast in April 2016 for series three, but by series five in March 2017, Missé had been demoted to a 'guest housewife'.
4 of 18Missé Beqiri
The model divorced her footballer husband of two years, Anders Lindegaard and got together with Jake Hall - yes, Chloe Lewis' ex from TOWIE. Missé and Jake went on to get engaged and have a daughter together, River. But it hasn't all been plain-sailing for the two reality stars - as Jake received a brief restraining orderto stay away from Missé in December 2018. The pair are back together and co-parenting baby River and Missé's son from her marriage with Anders.
5 of 18Ampika Pickston
Ampika Pickston was an original housewife - joining the RHOC family in series one and lasting until 2017, when she left after series five.
6 of 18Ampika Pickston
After a long on/off relationship with partner Mark, Ampika revealed in July 2018 that she was engaged after a new whirlwind romance. Whilst Ampika continues to keep her mystery romance under wraps, she promotes her own weightloss company - Skinny Revolution throughout her social media.
7 of 18Leanne Brown
Fans were shocked when OG cast member Leanne Brown didn't return for series six in spring 2018. After an upsetting feud and long court battle with ex-bestie Dawn, Leanne decided to call it quits on the ITVBe show.
8 of 18Leanne Brown
Leanne still keeps her fans up to date with her enviable WAG lifestyle - and reportedly even has a tell-all memoir in the pipeline.
9 of 18Stacey Forsey
Stacey Forsey became a guest-housewife in series one (no - we don't remember either) before joining the cast full time for series three - six.She was demoted to 'friend' status by series seven.
10 of 18Stacey Forsey
Nowadays the artist-turned-writer promotes her lifestyle brand and book, Scrumplicious Sweet Treats: Gluten, Dairy and Egg Free, through Instagram.
11 of 18Nermina Pieters-Mekic
Nermina lasted just under a year on the hit ITVBe show before producers made her a 'guest-housewife'.
12 of 18Nermina Pieters-Mekic
According the Nermina's website, the aspiring pop-star has begun a new chapter of her life focusing on re-establishing her music and modelling career in the UK and worldwide, whilst enjoying her suburban life with her husband, dogs and horses.
13 of 18Lauren Simon
OG housewife Lauren lasted an incredible eight series on the show and was loved by fans for saying exactly what she thought. Remember that squirm-inducing scene with Taylor Ward and Sam Reece? Exactly.
14 of 18Lauren Simon
We were devastated when Lauren quit the show before series nine. Her on / off friend Dawn Ward said: "Lauren has some personal stuff going on."Lauren's an amazing person, I am missing her to bits. I speak to her daily but she has other commitments at the minute that she needs to concentrate on."In January 2020 it was revealed that Lauren was back in the bosom of the RHOC family - yaaaaas.
15 of 18Perla Navia
Perla Navia was a housewife from series seven to ten, and was introduced as the yoga teacher of Rachel Lugo's husband John.
16 of 18Perla Navia
Perla announced she would not be returning for series 11, and wrote on Instagram: "And the time to hang my heels is finally here! Leaving the show was a difficult decision but necessary."I will miss every single person from the unbelievably production crew that make the show happen, they work endless hours to create the magic and peeps I'll take my hat off to you! Thank you."
17 of 18Leilani Dowding
Page 3 model Leilani Dowding lasted just one season (ten) in the show but in her brief appearance managed to rile many cast mates, including Dawn Ward and Christine McGuinness.
18 of 18Leilani Dowding
Leilani revealed in January 2020 that she would not be returning to the show. In March 2020, she and her rocker boyfriend, The Cult's guitarist Billy Duffy, became engaged.
Seema, 49, had a hysterectomy when she was 45, but kept her ovaries to prevent her from entering an early menopause.
Elaborating on what she's been dealing with this year, Seema told us, "I did have a five centimetre cyst in my left ovary and in the cysts world that's not anything to be overly concerned about, but about four or five weeks ago I ended up in A&E - it actually ruptured."
She continued, "I had an MRI and the cyst is now gone from my left ovary and now they've found one in my right ovary."
Seema was dealing with the cysts while filming for series 12 of Real Housewives, and told us that she hadn't planned on her health being part of the current series' storyline.
"[But] during filming I would get sharp stabbing pains that were so horrific that I couldn't hide it."
"There were times when I was crying," she said, "I was like, 'No move the cameras, I don't want to talk about it.'
"Emotionally I went to that dark place thinking, 'Oh my God, is it ovarian cancer - what is it?'"
She explained that she has since had blood tests to confirm that the cysts aren't malignant.
However, she has also been told by medical professionals to just "let it be" and, because of COVID 19 putting pressure on the NHS, she feels like the pain isn't being adequately addressed.
She said, "I need to get it checked and I don't want to just be fobbed off with, 'Oh, you know it's just a cyst.'
"Something that I will consider is getting the ovaries removed, which probably means, yeah, I'm gonna get thrown into an early menopause but I'd rather have that than this continuous pain because it's horrific."
WATCH: Emily Atack Talks Holiday Romances | My First Times
EXCLUSIVE: RHOC's Hanna Kinsella teases upcoming 'dramatic' dinner party
RHOC's Rachel Lugo shows off 'incredible' body transformation in rare photo
Pregnant Kate Ferdinand gives a glimpse of her walk in wardrobe and WOW
Seema, who owns fashion brand, Forever Unique, opened up about the effect that the pain has had on her, telling us that it, as well as the cancer scare, has had a "huge" effect on her mental health. But, she added, the support she has received from viewers and fans has pulled her through and pushed her to seek further medical advice.
"We all need each other, especially at a time like this," she said.
For more information on symptoms of ovarian cysts, head to the NHS website.
The Real Housewives of Cheshire airs on ITVBe on Mondays at 9pm.