Grange Hill's Zammo star shaken by cancer scare after 'really common' symptom many consider harmless - issuing stern warning to fans
The actor - who played the beloved character between 1982 and 1987 on the BBC show - revealed his 'really common' symptom that many consider harmless and issued a stern warning to fans while chatting with hosts Susanna Reid, 54, and Richard Madeley, 69.
'Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can spread to other areas of the body,' according to the NHS. Non-melanoma is 'more common and usually less serious'.
Talking on GMB, Lee said: 'I had a scare a year ago, which was found to be non-cancerous.
'O2 are now doing a campaign for skin cancer and awareness, and on the back of that, I booked an appointment for the doctors, I got a little rash there [pointed at his cheek] and it turns out it's a keratosis, which is a pre-cancerous spot.
'So I'm going to have to get it burnt out.'
He added: 'It could turn cancerous. It was just off the back of going and getting it checked out.
'I think we really need to concentrate on putting skincare on and looking at blemishes on your face. Go and get them checked out.'
Susanna pointed out that skin cancer is something that the star is aware of because it happened to his dad.
Lee explained: 'My dad was a driver, and for years he would sit with his arm out the window and my mum would go about his arm saying it's getting burnt all the time.
'Later in life he had skin cancer cut out from that arm.'
Richard went on point out that back in the day Lee used to use sunbeds, and he thinks that contributed to his diagnosis.
Lee said: 'Before I went to nightclubs years ago, I would lay on sun bed for an hour a week. That was from... I'd do a Tuesday and a Thursday from 17, up until I was about 26.
'That's what the doctor said it is.
'It's probably the sunbeds, rather than the sun, because I don't go out in the sun that much because of being aware of the risks.'
The actor went on to confess that he goes fishing with his son every Sunday and he makes sure that he's wearing sun cream.
Richard asked: 'Even if it's cloudy?'
'Yeah, funnily enough, he got told off by his step-mum because he went home burnt and it wasn't even that sunny,' Lee said.
'But the rays were coming through! So cover up at all times.'
It comes after Lee spoke out being diagnosed with skin cancer on X, formerly known as Twitter, back in June 2024.
He said: 'Went to the doctors today to check an unusual spot on my face! Doctor says it's cancer!
'As we older please keep an eye on anything unusual and hopefully get it looked at early!!! Booked in to get it sorted over the next couple of days!'
During the interview, Susanna also asked about a possible Grange Hill reunion.
Lee said: 'There's been a few whispers in the background, but it's still in the background.
'But I'd definitely be up for that! Absolutely.'
Lee has also starred in various other TV shows over the years.
He has landed roles in the likes of Birds of a Feather, The Bill, EastEnders and Anna and the Dead.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
What is malignant melanoma?
Malignant melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, cells found in the upper layer of skin that produce melanin, which gives skin its colour.
While less common that other types of skin cancer, it is more dangerous because of its ability to spread to other organs more rapidly if it is not treated at an early stage.
Symptoms
A new mole or a change in an existing mole may be signs of melanoma.
Melanomas can appear anywhere on your body, but they're more common in areas that are often exposed to the sun.
Some rarer types can affect the eyes, soles of the feet, palms of the hands or genitals.
Check your skin for any unusual changes. Use a mirror or ask a partner or friend to check any areas you cannot see.
In particular, look for:
Moles with an uneven shape or edges
Moles with a mix of colours
Large moles - melanomas often tend to be more than 6mm wide
Moles that change size, shape or colour over time
Causes
Ultraviolet (UV) light is the most common cause of melanoma. It comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds.
Melanoma is more common in older people, but younger people can also get it.
You're also more likely to get melanoma if you have:
Pale skin that burns easily in the sun
Red or blonde hair
Blue or green eyes
A large number of freckles or moles
Had a lot of sun exposure and you've had sunburn a lot in the past
Used sunbeds a lot
A history of skin cancer in your family or you've had skin cancer before
If you have black or brown skin, you have a lower chance of getting melanoma, but you can still get it.
Prevention
Staying safe in the sun is the best way to lower your chance of getting skin cancer (both melanoma and non-melanoma).
Do the following:
Stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day (11am to 3pm in the UK)
Keep your arms and legs covered and wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that provide protection against ultraviolet (UV) rays
Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 and at least 4-star UVA protection – make sure you reapply it regularly
Make sure babies and children are protected from the sun – their skin is much more sensitive than adult skin
Treatment
Melanoma skin cancer can often be treated. The treatment you have will depend on where it is, if it has spread and your general health.
Surgery is the main treatment for melanoma. Radiotherapy, medicines and chemotherapy are also sometimes used.
Surgery could involve removing the melanoma and an area of healthy skin around it, swollen lymph nodes if the cancer has spread to them and other parts of the body if it has spread to them.
If a large part of skin has to be removed, a skin graft might be needed which could see kin taken from another part of the body to cover the area where the melanoma was.
Radiotherpay is sometimes used to reduce the size of large melanomas and help control and relieve symptoms.
Targeted medicines and immotherapy are used to treat melanomas that can't be dealt with by surgery, or have spread to lymph glands or other parts of the body.
Chemotherapy, which kills cancer cells, is sometimes used to treat advanced melanoma when it has spread to another part of the body. It does not work as well as other treatments, but can be used if you are unable to have them.
How dangerous is it?
Generally for people with melanoma in England:
almost all people (almost 100%) will survive their melanoma for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed
around 90 out of every 100 people (around 90%) will survive their melanoma for 5 years or more after diagnosis
more than 85 out of every 100 people (more than 85%) will survive their melanoma for 10 years or more after they are diagnosed
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