Escape to the Country's Nicki Chapman opens up on horrific tumour battle and fearing death

escape to the country presenter Nikki Chapman has opened up on her health ordeal after a tumor the size of a golf ball was discovered on her brain Nikki Chapman revealed she was terrified of dying and begged inwardly not to have to give her life up as she battled a brain tumor the escape to the Country Host emotionally revealed how she felt when her speech began to slur and she started to have severe problems with her vision she was rushed into emergency surgery to have part of it removed and luckily the tumor was found to be benign so she was able to make a full recovery however Nikki still winces when she considers how close she came it makes me cry she confessed explaining I have had an amazing life once the bombshell of the tumor dropped I thought I don't want to give this life up she courageously continued to the times but if this is it well how lucky have I been Nikki added that sounds so glossy but I was born with the glass half full I found a strength to deal with it it was either take me now or let me live the 57 yearold now says she has put her tumor in a filing cabinet in her mind keeping it locked away to prevent memories of her horror ordeal from intruding on the happiness she has now she still cries when confronted with it Nikki recalled the exact moment she received the all clear from the doctor while standing in the middle of a field surrounded by pigs she had been filming for escape to the country but the crew swiftly moved away when they realized how serious it was and gave her some space the consultant told her the tumor Nikki has gone for the moment it's disappeared and she broke down in tears despite having had surgery to remove it doctors have been forced to leave a Slither of it for safety reasons but it then disappeared completely on its own leaving her Overjoyed shed even given her tumor a name Bert but was delighted to hear that there were no traces of it and only Scar Tissue had been left behind Nikki has since taken control of her struggle publishing a memoir called so tell me what you want becoming a patron for the brain tumor charity and celebrating her successful marriage she is W to Dave shaki Shackleton a music producer and vice president of the label Sony BMG International who formerly worked with Simon Cowell as a judge on music reality show pop Idol they recently celebrated 25 years together while Nikki has broken good news about escape to the country revealing triumphantly that it is set to return for a 23rd series