Chas: ‘I’ve got cancer all-clear’
MADNESS legend Chas Smash was celebrating last night after winning his battle against cancer, writes GARRY BUSHELL.
Chas – real name Cathal Smyth – was given the all clear on Friday after a course of radiotherapy.
He told pals and followers on Facebook: “This January I had a cancerous tumour removed from my daft old head and in late March began 6 weeks of radiotherapy. Today I got the all clear.”
Chas, 58, was one of the original Madness line-up. They notched up 26 Top 30 singles including the charttopping House of Fun, My Girl and It Must Be Love.
He started as the band’s dancer and backing singer but his eye-catching movements, pork pie hat and shouts of “Hey you! Don’t watch that, watch this!” helped to define the selfstyled Nutty Boys.
In 2015 Chas released solo album A Comfortable Man, about the end of his 28-year relationship with his wife, the mother of his children.
He added on Facebook: “The many who kept me in their thoughts and prayers, I cannot thank you enough.
“Isn’t life a beautiful adventure?” JEALOUS families choose where to go on holiday after seeing their pals living it up on social media.
Before booking, 64% of Brits have a peek at pals’ exotic posts.
Katherine Scott of Super Break, which carried out the poll, said the phenomenon was known as “inspirational imagery”.