Jamie Theakston, 54, hid his cancer diagnosis from wife and sons for weeks
Radio presenter Jamie Theakston has revealed he withheld his cancer news from his family for weeks after being diagnosed.
The Heart Breakfast host, who presents alongside Amanda Holden, announced in October last year that he had stage one laryngeal cancer, a type that affects the larynx (voice box).
According to the NHS website, symptoms include pain when swallowing, a lump or swelling in the neck, and a persistent sore throat.
Jamie previously thanked radio listeners who had noticed a difference in his voice, which prompted him to get it checked.
However, he chose not to tell his wife, Sophie Siegle, about his cancer right away in order to protect their happiness on a holiday with their kids.
Jamie, 54, was determined to enjoy his trip to Japan with Sophie and their sons Sidney, 17, and Kit, 16, which made him want to 'suppress' reality for a few weeks.
Speaking on the latest episode of Davina McCall's Begin Again podcast, Jamie recalled undergoing emergency scans before jetting off.
'I didn't tell anyone,' he shared. 'At that stage, I thought, well, it might not be cancer. So there's no point really in saying anything.
'I just tried to suppress it. All I could think was, 'It's probably not'.'
When Jamie got his biopsy results and his cancer was confirmed, he told his wife.
'She was distraught,' he said of her reaction.
'I went on holiday with this in the back of my mind. We had a fantastic time – but obviously, this was there in the background.'
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On breaking the news to his children, Jamie struggled with explaining to them that he was 'going to be fine' because they were 'too young to understand'.
'When you say you've got cancer to a 14-year-old, they think you're going to die,' he regaled.
'My youngest son had been with me when I was told my mum had died of cancer, so he knew what it meant,' he added. Jamie's mum died in 2022.
'I was so pleased that she had died before I got cancer,' he admitted. 'I would've hated for her to know. I'm not sure what that would've done to her.'
Jamie had a total of three operations so doctors could be sure all cancerous cells had been removed.
'We were getting dangerously close to removing so much of the vocal cord that I wouldn't be able to talk again,' he told listeners.
Thankfully, this wasn't necessary, and after his recovery, Jamie, now cancer-free, was able to return to the airwaves in January.
During his first show back, he said on the mic: 'Thanks to everyone for making this morning feel very, very special. Thanks for your (the listeners') messages as well.'
Audio clips were also played of Jamie's colleagues, friends, and family talking about his cancer diagnosis.
His wife joined in, telling him: 'Hello, darling. It's me, Sophie. When we found out you had cancer, it was, wow, such a dark time.'
His son, Sidney, added: 'Well done for getting through these past few months.'
Jamie has since heaped praise on his 'amazing' co-host Amanda for her support, hailing her as a 'force of nature' for keeping the show afloat in his absence.
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The Britain's Got Talent judge said when he returned to work: 'What an amazing man you are. You really fought very hard, Jamie, you've kept your sense of humour, which is the most important thing, I think. More Trending
'And isn't it wonderful? It's a terrible thing to go through, but it's a wonderful thing to see how many people love you.'
Looking back on his experiences of the past year, Jamie, who must now have regular check-ups, describes it all as a 'gift' for shifting his outlook on life.
'I hope it'll make me a better parent. Maybe it might make me a better broadcaster. It certainly feels like it made me a better person.'
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information.
You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.
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