The Office's Lucy Davis 'overwhelmed' by kindness after cancer diagnosis

Actress Lucy Davis of the BBC sitcom The Office has thanked fans for their kindness and support after disclosing she has incurable breast cancer. The 53-year-old, who portrayed receptionist Dawn Tinsley on the show, announced on Tuesday she is making an effort to live out whatever time remains in the most enjoyable manner possible.

A multitude of friends, family, and followers, including Davis' comedian father Jasper Carrott, former co-star Ricky Gervais, and her US counterpart Jenna Fischer, expressed their support through public messages. In an Instagram post on Thursday, Davis wrote that the last two days have been utterly overwhelming, as she had no prior awareness of the extensive attention her cancer announcement would garner.

She expressed shock at the outpouring of kindness and support, but thanked everyone for their compassion, acknowledging how emotional it was.

Davis described herself as trying to process all the comments on her post, and she promised to catch up at her own pace. She also addressed those who mistakenly interpreted her news as a death announcement, assuring them that she is still alive. To lighten the mood, Davis shared a video of her taking a skateboarding lesson with actor Malachi Barton, with whom she had previously co-starred in Disney Channel's The Villains Of Valley View.

Earlier this week, Davis revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer a year and a half ago, but it had already spread to her bones, making chemotherapy too late. Despite the diagnosis, she remains at peace with the situation. Carrott, speaking to BBC News, expressed his pride and love for his daughter, emphasizing that the entire family has been providing support since her diagnosis. He expressed gratitude for the support received and expressed hope for her future.

Davis began her acting career in the BBC comedy The Detectives alongside her father, and she had a breakthrough role in 2001 as Dawn, the sympathetic and witty receptionist in Gervais and Stephen Merchant's Bafta-winning sitcom. Gervais praised Davis for her post, while Fischer commended her for her beautiful message and expressed her wish to spread the message about cancer prevention.

Davis has appeared in films such as Shaun Of The Dead and Wonder Woman, and she played Hilda Spellman in the Netflix series The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina.