Bill Wyman, the former bassist with the Rolling Stones, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The 79-year-old is undergoing treatment. His spokesperson confirmed the diagnosis in a statement and said his cancer had been caught early. “Bill Wyman, former member of the Rolling Stones, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer,” it said.
“He is undergoing treatment and is expected to make a full recovery as it was caught in the early stages.”
Wyman was born in Lewisham, London and joined the Stones in 1962, when he was 25, remaining a member of the band until 1993. He became known as the sensible one for rejecting the drink and drugs loaded rock’n’roll lifestyle.
His most recent performance with the band was at the O2 arena in 2012.
Wyman announced his first solo album, Back to Basics, in April 2015. In an interview with The Times in June, he claimed the band never forgave him for leaving but insisted he had no regrets.
“The past 20 years have been the most prolific of my life,” he said. “I found two Roman sites they never knew existed. I’ve found Iron Age coins. I’ve opened events for the British Museum. I’ve opened the Castle Museum in Norwich, one in bloody Newcastle. Done photographic exhibitions around the world. Now it seems like this album might do quite well.”
He was last pictured at the wedding of Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall on Saturday.
