Sir Cliff Richard has revealed he has been treated for prostate cancer during the past year.
The 85-year-old singer said his cancer had “gone at the moment” and backed calls for a national screening test for men.
In an interview with Good Morning Britain, he said, “I was about to embark on a tour… I was going to Australia and New Zealand, and the promoter said, ‘Well, we need your insurance, so you’ll need to be checked up for something.’
“They found that I had prostate cancer, but the good fortune was that it was not very advanced.” And the other thing is that it had not metastasised. It hadn’t moved into bones or anything like that.
“And the cancer’s gone currently; I don’t know whether it’s going to come back. I mean, you can’t predict the outcome with these types of situations, but I am absolutely convinced that we need to get tested and checked.
Sir Cliff made the revelation.
“I think we as men… we’ve got to be seen as human beings who may die of this thing.”
Sir Cliff made the revelation in conversation with former Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan, who has himself been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer.
Former Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan
Mr Murnaghan asked the singer whether he backed calls for a national prostate cancer screening programme, given that the disease is “the most prevalent cancer amongst men”.
Lending his support, Sir Cliff replied, “We have governments that look after our country and those who live in it.” We all deserve to have the same ability to have a test and then start the treatments really early.
“It’s only been one year now I’ve been in touch with cancer, but in point of fact, every time I’ve talked with anybody, this has come up, and so I think our government must listen to us.”
Cliff Richard. File pic: PA
Last month the UK National Screening Committee decided not to recommend mass screening for prostate cancer, saying the measure was “likely to cause more harm than good”.
Instead, it proposes a targeted screening programme every two years for men with specific genetic mutations, known as BRCA-1 and BRCA-2, between the ages of 45 and 61.
The news comes after King Charles revealed he had reached a “milestone” in his own fight with cancer and would be able to reduce his schedule of treatment in the new year.
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The King had said: “Early diagnosis quite simply saves lives.
“Now, I have heard this message repeatedly during my visits to cancer centres across the country. I know too what a difference it has made in my own case, enabling me to continue leading a full and active life, even while undergoing treatment.
“Today, I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to ‘doctors’ orders’, my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the new year.”
He continued: “This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years; testimony that I hope may give encouragement to the 50% of us who will be diagnosed with the illness at some point in our lives.”
Buckingham Palace has not revealed what kind of cancer the King has, though it is confirmed not to be prostate cancer.
Read more:
King ‘deeply touched’ by reaction to cancer ‘good news’
NHS to offer same-day prostate cancer diagnosis
Mr Murnaghan asked Sir Cliff whether his own charitable efforts could be co-ordinated with the King’s on the issue of early screening.
The pop icon replied: “I’m sure! I mean, why not? I’ve been involved with many charities over the years, and if the king is happy to front it for us, I’m sure loads of people… I certainly would join him, I’m sure you would.
“If the King is listening, then I’m sure most of us would say, yeah, we’re available.”
