Dame Maggie Smith 'is fighting breast cancer'

Dame Maggie Smith is fighting a battle with breast cancer, it has been revealed today.

The 73-year-old Oscar winner, best known in recent years for her portrayal of Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, is now undergoing treatment for the disease, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Dame Maggie is said to have insisted on going ahead with filming the latest instalment of the hit series last month even though she was undergoing radiation therapy at the time.

"She is dealing with it in her typically brave and understated way," one of her friends told the Mandrake column.
"She has had a tumour removed and subsequently completed a course of chemotherapy.

"This was precautionary and the prognosis looks good.
"The last thing she wants to do is to make a fuss about it."
Dame Maggie has starred in such major films as The First Wives Club and Gosford Park over her 50-year career.
She is best-known as Miss Jean Brodie, the fierce, Scottish teacher in the 1969 hit film of the same name, which cemented her position as one of Britain's most acclaimed actresses.
She returned to the West End stage in November last year in The Lady from Dubuque.

She is about begin work on Julian Fellowes' forthcoming film From Time to Time, filming for which has been put back to accommodate her treatment, according to the paper.
After her divorce from the late actor Sir Robert Stephens, Dame Maggie married playwright Beverley Cross, who died 10 years ago.

A spokesperson for Dame Maggie said that she was unable to comment.

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