He's offered fans his thanks for their support, saying he didn't realise until he'd broken his silence just how many other people find it difficult to talk about the killer disease – and that he hopes going public will assist other people in the same situation.

Problems came to light after he required medical attention for back issue that were causing him a great deal of pain, following earlier knee replacement surgery. "So around Christmas I've been having a succession of blood tests, ultrasounds, and various kinds of scans, to see if they could rule out various kinds of cancer.

"Now, on hearing the C word, something happens inside you. I've seen so many of my dear friends fighting it, and my dad lost his battle at age 66, exactly the age I am now. I've been in various states of unrest. But the great thing has been that the team my GP assembled to check out the possibilities has moved Heaven and Earth to gather all the information I need quickly."