Songs of Praise and former BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Turnbull is coming forward in hopes of raising awareness for men to undergo cancer screenings, having himself learned that his prostate cancer had spread to his bones while recently filming The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off.
In an interview with Radio Times, 62-year-old Turnbull explained that he'd been suffering physical symptoms for a year, but "wasn't aware there was something going on" because prostate tests at age 40 and 50 came back negative.
Turnbull's doctors are hopeful that he could live for ten years or more with chemotherapy, and he says: "You have to be positive, don't you? I know I'm not going to get cured and I'm realistic about the long-term prospects, but they're not bad.
"Most importantly, I really do think I've had a wonderful life, with amazing experiences as a reporter and a presenter. And if it was all to end tomorrow, I couldn't have any complaints. I've had a really marvellous time."
While Turnbull seems to be doing relatively well processing his diagnosis, he acknowledges that it's been a very rough time for his wife of 30 years, Sesi, and their three grown children.
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"It's really hard to know what to say when you want to protect them," he said.
BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin also opened up about her friend on Tuesday morning (March 6), telling viewers that he is "really upbeat".
"I spoke to Bill yesterday," she revealed. "Anybody who has watched him over the last 15 years will know he's an immensely optimistic person. He was on really good form.
"He is undergoing treatment at the moment. We had a long conversation. As I say, he was really upbeat, so best wishes to Bill and all his family as well."
For those seeking more information about prostate cancer screenings, please visit Cancer Research UK and those wishing to donate to help support people battling the disease can do so through Stand Up to Cancer.
Turnbull will be helping to raise awareness by competing on the launch episode of Channel 4's The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off alongside Harry Hill, Martin Kemp and Roisin Conaty, airing on Tuesday (March 6) at 8pm.
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Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
