Stephen Fry has received warm wishes from famous fans after he announced he had undergone surgery for prostate cancer in a plea for “men of a certain age” to get themselves tested.
The 60-year-old TV presenter and comic announced on Friday that he had his prostate removed in January and that “it all seemed to go pretty well”.
Football pundit and former England international Gary Lineker told the “delightful man” to stay well, while presenter Les Dennis said he would get a check-up after Fry’s “eloquent” announcement.
John Cleese also asked fans to direct their “prayers” towards his health, while former colleagues at panel show QI also sent their “love and support”.
Fry announced the diagnosis, which came in December, in a video on his website.
“They took the prostate out, they took 11 lymph nodes out, the various bits that were taken out were examined and it turned out I had a Gleason Score of nine. After considering 10 is the maximum, it was clearly an aggressive little bugger,” he said.
Fry also urged older men to get tested for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, which can be indicative of complications.
“I generally felt my life was saved by this early intervention, so I would urge any of you men of a certain age to get your PSA levels checked,” he said.
Prostate Cancer UK praised Fry for “speaking about his personal experience” because “awareness like this is so important”.
The charity’s chief executive, Angela Culhane, said: “We salute Stephen for his courage in speaking out about his personal experience and wish him all the very best for his recovery.
“It is crucial for every man to acknowledge the threat that prostate cancer can pose to his life.
“Some men in particular face a higher than average risk and so if you are over 50, black, or have a family history of prostate cancer, it’s important that you speak to your GP about the disease.
“Anyone with any concerns can speak to Prostate Cancer UK’s specialist nurses on 0800 084 8383 or visit prostatecanceruk.org.”