Antiques Roadshow expert Theo Burrell has died at 39, more than four years after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor.
Burrell, a ceramics and glass specialist with Lyon & Turnbull auctioneers in Edinburgh, joined the show in 2018, where she became known for evaluating antiques and collectibles brought in by members of the public.
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Her family announced her death in a statement shared on her Instagram account on Saturday, July 11, confirming that she died peacefully on Wednesday surrounded by loved ones.
“She was an incredible person who fought hard for her family, friends and raising awareness of this cruel disease,” the statement read. “She saw life events like her son’s first day at school and her wedding that a little over four years ago we thought she’d never see.”
The statement also reflected on the support Burrell received from others facing cancer.
“The cancer community provided so much comfort and strength to her in her darkest moments. But most of all it provided hope and I think what she would want most of all is for other people to find hope in her story,” it added.
Burrell was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2022, an aggressive form of brain cancer that typically carries a life expectancy of 12 to 18 months, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Despite the prognosis, she continued to raise awareness about the disease while sharing updates on her treatment and recovery.
In an August 2023 interview with the BBC, Burrell recalled the months leading up to her diagnosis and the symptoms she experienced before doctors identified the cause.
“I started to get ill in the winter of 2021 and I wasn’t diagnosed until the June of 2022, so [I had] five or six months of increasingly worsening symptoms – headaches, sickness, problems with my vision, very, very pressurised pains in my head, migraines – the list went on,” she said.
She explained that it was only after visiting the emergency department at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh that doctors discovered the tumor.
“And it wasn’t until I went to A&E at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh that I was given the diagnosis. I had absolutely no idea it was coming, it was a huge shock,” she added.
Burrell said she did not fully understand the seriousness of her condition until the following day. Throughout her illness, she became an advocate for brain cancer awareness, sharing her experiences while continuing to celebrate milestones with her family despite the devastating diagnosis.
