Bill shows how his prostate cancer is taking toll
THE toll that prostate cancer has taken on TV presenter Bill Turnbull was clear last night as he gave his first television interview since he was diagnosed.
The former BBC Breakfast host, who revealed this week that he has an incurable form of the disease, was visibly moved as he recalled the moment he broke the news to his family.
He appeared on last night’s celebrity Bake Off special on Channel 4 in aid of Stand Up To Cancer.
But there was a great contrast between the footage of him in the baking competition – which was taped in September, two months before his diagnosis – and a short film about his cancer which was recorded recently and aired at the end of the show.
Looking almost unrecognisable as a result of his ongoing hormone treatment, the 62-year-old father of three spoke touchingly about his marriage, saying his relationship with his wife Sarah had been the best thing he had ever done.
Turnbull was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, which has spread to the bone, in November, having ignored aches and pains for a year because he assumed they were part of ‘old age’.
Although he had had prostate tests when he was 40 and 50, he had not visited his GP for four years.
In the interview, filmed at his home in Suffolk, he said: ‘I was getting pains in my legs and my hips, particularly, and they would come and go, and I thought, “This is old age”. Eventually the pains got so bad I thought, “Well, I better go and see my GP”. He said, “I’m just going to give you a blood test, just a sort of MoT if you like, just to check a few things out”.
‘The next morning he called me and asked me to come in pretty quickly. And the doctor said, “It’s pretty clear from this that you have advanced prostate cancer”.’
Support has poured in for the popular presenter, who now has a weekend radio show on Classic FM, after he broke the news in a Radio Times interview.
BBC newsreader George Alagiah, who announced in January that his bowel cancer has returned, posted on social media: ‘Our ex-colleague @billtu diagnosed with prostate cancer. Bill, if anyone can deal with the emotional and physical rollercoaster that is cancer treatment I’m sure it’s you.’ Turnbull responded: ‘You and me together, George. Rooting for you, too.’
Radio 2 host Tony Blackburn: ‘So sorry to hear that Bill Turnbull has prostate cancer. I’ve met him on many occasions and he is the nicest man you could wish to meet.’ BBC presenter Jeremy Vine wrote: ‘Wishing my friend @billtu all the very best’.
Piers Morgan offered his support to Turnbull on Good Morning Britain, while revealing that he had experienced a ‘prostate cancer scare’ himself. The 52-year-old said: ‘I had a bit of a scare with this a few years ago but fortunately for me it was all right, but my levels were high raised.
‘It really struck me when I had that little scare, that awful feeling of dread that this might be it and you have “the big C”.’
Turnbull said he had spoken out to try to raise awareness of prostate cancer and to encourage men to be tested, adding: ‘Maybe if I’d got it earlier and stopped it at the prostate, I’d be in a much better state.’
Last night Prostate Cancer UK said it had seen a significant increase in traffic to its website following the interview, while its specialist nurses received three times the typical number of calls yesterday.
The charity saw a 350 per cent rise in views of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test information page and a 250 per cent rise in views of the symptoms information page.
In The Great Celebrity Bake Off For Stand Up To Cancer which aired last night, the contestants were asked to create a biscuit version of the best day of their lives.
Turnbull created a ‘tableau of love’ for his family, including him and his wife on their wedding day, biscuit figurines of his children, and a beehive to reflect his love of beekeeping. When asked why he had wanted to take part, he said: ‘There can be very few of us who haven’t encountered cancer in one form or another, know someone who has it or have lost friends to it. So I’m really pleased to be part of it.’
Angela Culhane, chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, said: ‘Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. One in eight men in the UK will be affected by the disease in their lifetime.
‘We admire Bill for his courage in talking openly about his personal experience as prostate cancer is often overlooked. Our thoughts are with Bill and his family as he goes through treatment.’