Emotional Adele Roberts breaks down in tears while accepting gong at the Diva Awards

Emotional Adele Roberts broke down as she accepted a gong at the DIVA Awards on Friday night amid her ongoing battle with bowel cancer.

The radio DJ, 43, was moved to tears after she was presented with the DIVA Choice Award for being a ‘trailblazer in broadcasting, bringing lesbian visibility to the heart of Radio 1’. 

Adele – who uses a stoma bag – had surgery last October to have part of her bowel removed after being diagnosed with cancer and started chemotherapy treatment. 

The overwhelmed star took to her Instagram Stories to thank her fans for their support after the star-studded event held at Covent Garden’s Waldorf Hilton Hotel.

She said: ‘I am having the best night of all time. I’m sorry if my face looks a mess because I’ve just been crying.

‘I’ve got a DIVA Award! That’s crazy,.. this means the world, thank you so much!

‘Thank you to the who team DIVA for everything you do to represent our community, to uplift others, to empower others but also for making me feel so amazing tonight.’ 

The DIVA Awards, founded in 2017 by DIVA Magazine publisher Linda Riley, celebrate the achievements of LGBTQI women and non-binary people, and their allies, across business, the media and politics.

Adele, who has been undergoing treatment for bowel cancer, was seen at the awards with girlfriend Kate Holderness.

Former Big Brother housemate Adele looked stylish in a black jumpsuit and cropped jacket for the evening.

Kate wore a flowing white maxi dress and they cosied-up to one another as they posed for pictures after Adele was given her prize. 

It comes after last month Adele fans’ were left heartbroken after her girlfriend Kate shared a video of the star in hospital as she fought bowel cancer.

Adele has been candid about her health battle, with Kate taking to TikTok to share a montage of clips of Adele going through chemotherapy, which she started last October. 

In one clip, Adele’s eyes were filled with tears as she spoke to Kate from her hospital bed, with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s Shallow playing over the video. 

The video also showed Adele being helped up a flight of stairs by a nurse and another shot of her asleep on the couch.

While it also saw her taking medication and showed how the treatment had affected the skin on her feet and hands.

Alongside the clip, Kate wrote: ‘FOR ADELE ♥️ @adeleroberts I don’t think you know how astonishing you are. I hope this video helps you see…just a little.’ 

Replying to the post, Adele addressed her partner in the comments, writing: ‘I cannot thank you enough for how much you’ve helped me. I can’t stop crying at this. 

‘Thank you for always being there for me. I can’t see for tears. We’re nearly there my love and I promise nothing will ever take me away from you. And when this is all over I will spend the rest of my life trying to repay what you’ve done for me. I love you more than you can imagine.’

Several of Adele’s fans commented on the post, with one writing: ‘Adele is one very special human being. Very brave and inspirational’.

Another said: ‘She’s totally amazing. I follow Adele on Insta and she’s so inspirational. I think you do an amazing job of keeping her spirits up’.

Another added: ‘She is incredible. In awe of how she is handling all the obsticals. I can see she values how much you support her too’. 

Adele had surgery last October to have part of her bowel removed and started chemotherapy treatment. 

The video came after Adele revealed that her stoma bag has ’empowered’ her and that she doesn’t let her colostomy surgery hold her back.

Speaking on an episode of Lorraine, Adele and Kate explained the symptoms that led to her diagnosis. 

Adele revealed that she had been diagnosed with bowel cancer in an emotional post in October, but added that she almost missed the signs due to her ‘love of kale’. 

Adele said: ‘It was stage two and about to be stage three. It was nearly spreading to my liver, but they got it in time. 

‘I’m on chemotherapy at the moment and I’m living my life to the full now.

‘I first started to notice mucus when I would go to the toilet, and then it was blood I would notice. I was speaking to Kate about it and at first we thought it was because I eat a lot of kale.

‘I just didn’t have cancer on my radar. I thought it could be IBS, but when it started to get more regular, Kate said you need to call the doctor.’

Adele underwent colostomy surgery to remove the bowel tumor last year and told her followers at the time that ‘this little stoma bag helped save my life’.

A colostomy diverts one end of the colon (part of the bowel) through an opening (stoma) in the tummy. A pouch is placed over the stoma to collect your poo (stools). 

She added: ‘It’s saved me life. I’m so grateful that I got a stoma, it allows my bowel to heal from the surgery.’

Explaining that although the surgery will be reversed eventually, she said that she finds it ’empowering’ to speak about her stoma. 

Adele, who enjoys working out, continued: ‘I truly believe my new lifestyle choices have helped me recover quickly from surgery and deal with chemotherapy.’

Earlier this month, Adele showed off her stoma bag as she went to the gym for the first time since having surgery despite being ‘frightened of getting a hernia’.

The Radio 1 DJ, looked sensational as she posed for Instagram snaps flashing her midriff in a grey sports bra and matching leggings.

In the mirror selfies she ‘proudly’ revealed her stoma bag which she has named Audrey.

She penned alongside the post: ‘Today’s FU to cancer… first time in the gym since my surgery.

‘First time in years to be fair but I’ve read how good strength training can be? Especially for runners… so decided to go for it… 

‘SO sorry if we were dicking about taking selfies instead of actually doing gym stuff… but to be fair we need a personal trainer because we don’t know wtf we’re doing.’ 

She added: ‘Really proud of us for going though. Kate hates the gym and I’ve not been with my stoma before.

‘I was frightened I might get a hernia but I think I escaped unscathed.’