Stephen Fry reveals battle with prostate cancer

British comedian Stephen Fry has announced he has been battling prostate cancer.

Stephen Fry has revealed he has been battling prostate cancer.

Stephen Fry has revealed he has been battling prostate cancer. Source: Press Association

British comedian Stephen Fry has revealed he has been battling prostate cancer.

The TV presenter said he underwent surgery in January to have the prostate removed and "it all seemed to go pretty well".

Fry, 60, shared the news in a 13-minute long video posted on his Twitter page, alongside which he wrote: "For the last 2 months I've been in the throes of a rather unwelcome and unexpected adventure.

"I'm sorry I haven't felt able to talk about it till now, but here I am explaining what has been going on."

In the video, Fry said it was "all very personal and undignified so I might as well bite the bullet", before explaining that he had seen his doctor in December in order to get a flu jab.



It was later discovered he had cancer and he had the prostate removed the following month.

"They took the prostate out, they took 11 lymph nodes out, the various bits that were taken out were examined and it turned out I had a Gleason Score of nine after considering 10 is the maximum, it was clearly an aggressive little bugger," Fry said.

Fry, who pulled out of presenting the Bafta Film Awards this year after more than a decade, said people had "probably been wondering why I've been out of the public eye".

"But I've been keeping my head down as much as possible because you want to get better without strangers sending you cards and letters," he said.

"It's a bit of a business having an operation like that, there are five holes punctured into you, it's like being stabbed five times ... to the body it's the same traumatic effect."

Fry paid tribute to his family and husband Elliott Spencer, saying: "My family and my divine and darling husband, of course, were just marvellous and those few friends who have known have been very discreet and kind about it.

"Cancer - that is a word that rings in your head. Cancer, I've got cancer. I went around saying to myself 'I've got cancer', and 'good heavens Stephen, you're not the sort of person who gets cancer'.

"I know it's an old cliche but you don't think it's going to happen to you, cancer is is something that happens to other people."


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Published 24 February 2018 8:52am
Updated 24 February 2018 9:35am


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