Andrew Marr to undergo treatment for kidney cancer
● Broadcaster expected to make full recovery, his agent confirms
The veteran journalist and broadcaster Andrew Marr will go into hospital this week to have an operation to remove a malignant tumour on his kidney, his agent announced yesterday.
The 58-year-old will step down from hosting The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One while he recuperates from surgery, but is expected to make a full recovery.
At the end of yesterday’s show, he informed viewers of the news, telling them: “I am going to be away for a couple of weeks or so. I’m having a small hospital operation and I will be back as soon as I possibly can, so be kind please to whoever is sitting in this chair next week.”
It comes five years after Mr Marr, the BBC’S former political editor, suffered a stroke.
The Glasgow-born journalist spent two months in hospital and underwent extensive physiotherapy to help him walk following the stroke in January 2013. He returned to hosting his weekly Sunday television show in September of that year.
A statement from Mr Marr’s agent, Mary Greenham, said that following this week’s surgery, he is “expected to make a full recovery and will be returning to the airwaves soon”.
Ms Greenham added: “He and his family have asked for
0 Andrew Marr is to undergo treatment for kidney cancer. privacy at this difficult time.”
A BBC spokeswoman said: “Andrew is taking a period of time off for medical reasons. We wish him well and look forward to welcoming him back on our screens soon.” Mr Marr’s colleagues and peers sent on their best wishes yesterday. Sophie Raworth, the BBC newsreader, tweeted: “Hehasbeenthroughsomuch already.
“Wishing @Andrewmarr9 all the best and a very speedy recovery.”
Beth Rigby, senior political correspondent at Sky News, wrote: “Sorry to hear that the peerless Andrew Marr has to once again face challenging health issues which will take him off our screens. Sundays won’t be the same without you. Look forward to your return.”
Mr Marr, a former political correspondent for The Scotsman, recounted his recovery from his stroke and trialled experimental US treatment in his2017documentaryandrew Marr: My Brain And Me.
He fell ill after a particularly vigorous session on the rowing machine, and subsequently discovered that he had previously suffered two “mini strokes” which he failed to take seriously.
In a subsequent interview, Mr Marr said he felt “lucky to be alive” and described the slow recovery process.
“There’s very little I can do with my left arm,” he explained. “I can walk for hours at a time and without a stick. But it’s an awkward, slow, lurching walk, almost as if I have a wooden leg.”