Australian actress and comedian Magda Szubanski has been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer.

Szubanski is best known for her iconic role as Sharon Strzelecki in the Australian sitcom Kath & Kim, and for her film roles in Babe and Happy Feet.

In a video posted to social media, the 64-year-old said she had begun treatment to fight stage four Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a “fast-moving” form of blood cancer.

Calling the news “confronting”, Szubanski said she was receiving “world-class care” in Melbourne.

“I won’t sugar-coat it: it’s rough. But I’m hopeful,” she said.

“I’m being lovingly cared for by friends and family, my medical team is brilliant, and I’ve never felt more held by the people around me.”

The actress said she was undergoing Nordic protocol treatment, a regimen which combines chemotherapy and immunotherapy to treat Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

The cancer was only discovered incidentally after she requested blood tests after feeling unwell for “ages”.

“So the take away is – get tested and listen to your body!” she said.

Szubanksi rose to fame playing the netball-loving Strzelecki in the early 2000s, and has been a stalwart of the comedy scene in Australia since.

She was also a prominent advocate for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia.