Veteran broadcaster James Whale has shared a heart-wrenching update about his terminal cancer diagnosis after being told he has just weeks to live.
The TalkTV presenter and former Celebrity Big Brother star, 74, was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer in 2020, two decades after first beating the disease.
Speaking on his podcast Tales of the Whales, alongside his wife and co-host Nadine, Whale told listeners he had initially been given 12 weeks to live - and is now seven weeks into that prognosis.
“I can’t breathe, I can’t think, I can’t talk,” he said. “I’ve become very slow in my speech and then forgetful… My energy levels have gone completely.”
In the candid episode, he admitted that even speaking was becoming difficult, noting that he also struggles to hear and suffers from painful pressure sores. At one point, he became confused and stumbled over his words, poignantly joking: “I have terminal 5 cancer. Can you get 5?”
Despite the devastating update, the presenter managed to retain a sense of humour, correcting himself after a slip-up: “I’m not being rude when I make it difficult to get touched up. I mean… in touch.”
Nadine, whom he affectionately calls “Lady W”, has been by his side throughout his health battle. She told listeners they would be restricting visitors from next week to only “very close friends and family” as James grows increasingly tired.
Whale said: “The most tiring thing I found… I still can't hear very well, which is more frustrating than anything else… I'm tootling along, which is all you can do really, trying to get my breathing sorted and the mark on my bum.”
He added: “Anyway. I don’t feel I can go on much more. So I wish everybody well, and let us hope we go through these phases as quickly as we can.”
Earlier this year, Whale announced he was stopping treatment and recently marked what he called his “last birthday”, surrounded by close friends and family.
He has been a fixture of British broadcasting for over 50 years, receiving the inaugural TRIC Recognition Award in 2023 for his contributions to the industry and an MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to broadcasting and charity.
He also founded the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer in 2006 - now Kidney Cancer UK - the country’s leading charity focused on the disease.
