Jamie Theakston issues health update as star says he needs to see his surgeon every month after cancer treatment
JAMIE Theakston has issued a health update after undergoing cancer treatment, revealing he needs to see his surgeon every month for check-ups.
Heart Radio presenter Jamie, 54, announced he had been diagnosed with with stage 1 laryngeal cancer in September 2024, taking time away from his breakfast show hosting duties.
The star’s initial procedure, performed privately at the Princess Grace Hospital in London, successfully removed his lesion.
However, biopsies could not confirm with complete certainty that all cancer cells had been eliminated.
While he is free from the disease now, with odds of it returning “very low”, he is still under instruction to see his surgeon every month.
In a new interview with The Times, Jamie spoke of his “scanxiety”, explaining the intervals between appointments will lengthen to three and then six months after a year.
He said: “I was given the option of radiotherapy, but we decided that surgery was a better option. I had to go back for a second operation and have more tissue removed. That reset my recovery right back to the beginning.
“I was frustrated because I just wanted to get back to work. I remember reading an interview Amanda [Holden] had given saying, ‘We hope to have him back by Christmas.’ I had thought, way before Christmas! So the second operation put us back a bit.
“And then we found that during the healing process, some scar tissue was touching the other vocal cord. So I had to go back and have a third surgery.
“We were happy that the cancer was clear but to allow my voice to operate, they had to remove the scar tissue, which unfortunately had formed in a place where we didn’t want it forming.”
Jamie recently told fans that there was a time where doctors warned him that he could lose his voice forever.
He underwent multiple rounds of surgery after the first operation was not as successful as doctors hoped.
The presenter said the consultants’ potential warnings came as an “enormous shock.”
Jamie said: “I’ve had ‘scan-anxiety’ – everyone who has been through what I’ve been through will know you just get a barrage of statistics.”
“There’s a one in ten chance you won’t survive it, and you kind of go ‘Oh, OK’ I’ll take that.”
As he went through more treatment, he admitted that he became more worried with each statistic.
“I had to do several surgeries, and the first surgery wasn’t as successful as we hoped.
“Then there was a second surgery, and then a third, and each time I was doing more and more damage to my vocal chords.”
He added: “By the third one they said, well you’ve got a one in six chance that you might not be able to talk again.
“I thought OK, that’s like rolling a dice, I’ll take that, It’s just statistics after statistics.”
Jamie made an emotional announcement when he first revealed the news of his shock diagnosis last year.
Addressing fans, he told them: “Hi folks, as you know – I recently had an operation to remove a lesion from my vocal cords.
“The biopsy has identified this as Stage 1 Laryngeal cancer.”
Key symptoms of laryngeal cancer
THERE are six key symptoms of laryngeal cancer to look out for according to the NHS:
- pain when swallowing or difficulty swallowing
- a lump or swelling in your neck
- a long-lasting cough or breathlessness
- a persistent sore throat or earache
- a high-pitched wheezing noise when you breathe
- in severe cases, difficulty breathing
Other signs also include: bad breath, unintentional weight loss, or fatigue (extreme tiredness).
You should see your doctor if you notice you:
- have a hoarse voice for more than 3 weeks
- have lost 4 to 5 kg (10lbs) or more in a short time and you are not dieting
- are short of breath or have a cough that doesn’t go away, or your breathing becomes noisy (stridor)
- have pain or difficulty swallowing
- have any other symptoms that are unusual for you or that don’t go away