First Dates star Merlin Griffiths has shared a health update with fans amid his battle with bowel cancer.
In September 2021 Merlin revealed that he had been diagnosed with a Stage 3 tumour, with doctors telling him he had a 75 per cent chance of living beyond five years.
On January 20, Merlin told fans he was headed into hospital for what he said was: "(hopefully) my final operation!" The bartender added: "#Stoma you saved my life, and if I need you again I won't grumble, but time to try for a new normal."
Three days later he shared a photo from his hospital bed and wrote: "Gosh, it's very odd knowing all my insides are actually inside me again after 9 months of a #stoma. Next step, farting. Then food. #NHS #Cancer #Surgery."
He then followed up with a tweet reading: "My plumbing works then. Cor blimey. This will take some training and getting used to. Thank goodness for Kegels! Essential!! Pull up nappy deployed for safety. Need a biscuit."
Last June Merlin had shared that he was back in hospital due to complications. Speaking about his diagnosis in September 2021, Merlin told the The Mirror: "I won't let it get the better of me."
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Describing how he felt when he was told he had bowel cancer, Merlin added: "I thought, as most people must when they get a diagnosis, 'Oh f***, I've got cancer'.
"I also wanted to know, what are my chances of surviving? It's terrifying – of course I want to live.
"I've shed a tear in private. But you can choose 'to do' or 'not to do'. I chose to lead my life as normal, to stick to the facts about it, and to keep putting one step in front of the other."
Merlin is known for his role as the bartender at the First Dates restaurant. Away from TV he is owner of his own bar and restaurant, The Priory Tavern, located in Kilburn, north-west London.
First Dates airs on Channel 4.
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Stephanie is a freelance news writer, who previously covered WWE and AEW for Digital Spy.
After graduating with a degree in history from Queen Mary University, London, she studied journalism at Birkbeck University.
Outside of her work at Digital Spy, she writes about pop culture, with a special focus towards Irish media and how it intersects with politics.
You can read more of her work on her Substack page.
