The Chase star Jenny Ryan has revealed she feared an operation to remove her enlarged thyroid would leave her unable to speak or sing. <\/p>\n
Ryan, who is best known as The Vixen<\/a> on the popular British TV quiz show<\/a>, underwent surgery earlier this year after her thyroid gland grew to the point it began “causing some problems”. <\/p>\n The 44-year-old told Bang Showbiz there had been no obvious signs before her thyroid began to enlarge. <\/p>\n “It can just spontaneously happen and creep up on you. So it\u2019s just another one of those things,” she said. <\/p>\n “If you feel unsure about something, go and speak to your GP or call the NHS and get some advice.”<\/p>\n Ryan said one of the biggest concerns prior to the procedure was the potential impact it would have on her vocal chords. <\/p>\n As well as appearing as a professional quizzer on The Chase, Ryan was an avid singer, having reached the final of The X Factor: Celebrity in 2009. <\/p>\n She first revealed she had undergone surgery in July, sharing photos to social media which showed a scar across the front of her neck. <\/p>\n \u201cHello my lovelies,” she wrote. “You might notice my new scar. You\u2019d be hard pushed to not spot it, given it\u2019s right on the front of my neck.”<\/p>\n \u201cMy thyroid gland made a bid for fame and got so big it started causing some problems so we chopped it out.”<\/p>\n The Chase star reassured fans the surgery had gone well and that her voice was unaffected. <\/p>\n “I’m fine. Surgery was all good and the consultant is very happy,” she wrote. <\/p>\n “My voice still works and it\u2019s healing nicely.” <\/p>\n She also thanked medical staff who treated her at the University College Hospital in London, describing the support as “beyond wonderful”. <\/p>\n Ryan has appeared on The Chase since 2015, becoming a full time quizzer alongside Mark ‘The Beast’<\/a> Labbett, Anne ‘The Governess’ <\/a>Hegerty, Shaun ‘The Dark Destroyer’<\/a> Wallace, Paul ‘The Sinnerman’<\/a> Sinha and Darragh ‘The Menace’ <\/a>Ennis. <\/p>\n The popular quiz show has been on the air since 2009 and has launched multiple spin-offs, including Beat the Chasers<\/a>; The Chase: Bloopers; and The Family Chase. It’s also spawned New Zealand<\/a> and Australian versions of the show.<\/p>\n