Sarah Ferguson shocks Piers Morgan with text reply about her cancer diagnosis

Piers Morgan reached out to Sarah Ferguson following news about her breast cancer diagnosis. He said her candid reply to his text surprised him.

The TalkTV host talked about his correspondence with the Duchess of York in his piece for Sky News. He said he texted his "good friend of nearly 30 years" the moment he read about her diagnosis, "Just seen the news, so sorry you've been through such a scary time - sending you love and support, and continued success with your treatment."

She replied, "Time to heal and nurture me now! Hopefully caught in time x thank you."

Morgan said her reply surprised him because it was the first time he had "ever heard her speak about the need to put herself before others and it took a life-threatening moment to do it."

He pointed out that "it's typical" for Ferguson "to instantly try to turn such a negative experience into a positive, but very untypical of her to suspend her astoundingly selfless instincts and focus instead on helping herself" and that he is "very glad she is though, because the world's a better place with a healthy vibrant Sarah Ferguson in it."

Morgan then praised the Duchess of York and called her one of his favourite people, who "is incredibly kind and empathetic, absurdly generous, endearingly modest, hilariously fun-loving, and ferociously loyal."

He continued, "Yes, she's flawed and prone to dropping massive clangers, but so are all my favourite people." The former "Good Morning Britain" host cited a time when Ferguson put the needs of others before herself during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said she reached out to him after he tweeted about "a young NHS nurse and mum-of-three who'd died from the virus."

She texted him, "I would like to call the family and help them." Morgan shared that Fergie, as she is commonly known, "does that all the time, for so many people." But now she has her own health to focus on and only wants the best for her recovery. He wrote, "Now she's facing her own battle for life, and I wish my wonderfully ebullient friend all the luck in the world and a full, speedy recovery. She deserves it."

Ferguson's text reply to Morgan echoed what she said during Monday's episode of her "Tea Time" podcast. She talked about her breast cancer diagnosis and shared that she is looking at it as a "gift" or a wake-up call to look after herself now.

The Duchess of York, who is a patron of Teenage Cancer Trust, told the listeners and her co-host Sarah Thompson, "I'm taking this as a real gift to change my life - to nurture myself." She added that she will "stop trying to fix everyone else" and focus on herself instead.

The Duchess of York also revealed that she found out about her breast cancer diagnosis during a routine mammogram. She did not have any symptoms but is thankful that it is still in the early stages. She was then told to undergo a single mastectomy to stop its spread, which she did on Sunday, June 25, at King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, a private clinic in central London. The surgery was a success and she is said to be resting now at her home in Windsor with her family. She also urged others to have themselves checked to be certain.

Ferguson also took to Instagram to thank the well-wishers writing, "Thank you so much for such kindness and support." Following her breast cancer diagnosis and surgery, the 63-year-old told Thompson that she vows to "go out there and get super fit, super well, super strong."