Chris Evans says he's 'extraordinarily lucky' after 'second best diagnosis'

22 August 2023 , 14:05

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Chris Evans has battled a number of health issues over the years (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Chris Evans, the renowned Virgin Radio DJ, has spoken about his recent skin cancer diagnosis, describing himself as "extraordinarily lucky" to have received what he calls the "second best diagnosis".

The 57 year old broadcaster made the announcement on his Virgin Radio Breakfast Show on Monday, revealing he was in the 'early stages' of the disease. This discovery came after his masseuse noticed an unusual freckle on his lower leg. Speaking to Mike Graham on TalkTV on Tuesday, Evans expressed he was "not worried" about the diagnosis, explaining it is "not cancerous" and it is sometimes referred to it as "stage zero" or "pre-cancer".

He explained: "No, I'm not worried about it at all… Well, I wouldn't be worried about it if I didn't know about it but basically what's happened is the way I frame it….is that I got the second best possible diagnosis. The first being it's all clear, it's not cancerous. The second being we couldn't have caught it any earlier, and it is sometimes referred to as pre-cancer or stage zero. Because it's what's called in situ which means it hasn't moved yet. It's making up its mind. And if you can catch cancer at that point, then you can remove it before it's decided what to do. It was a freckle."

Chris will undergo a procedure next month to remove the pre-cancerous patch, followed by a skin graft on his leg. Choosing to speak openly about his condition, the presenter believes public figures should use their platform for good, stating if they "can be useful ever in this job of ours or in life in general then we should be".

Chris Evans has discussed his recent skin cancer diagnosis in a candid interview (PA Wire/PA Images)

The former BBC Radio 1 and 2 presenter also reflected on the plight of others, saying: "There are people with a thousands of times worse diagnosis, and they don't even know about it. The thing about all cancers is that in the early stages of them they don't affect you." [sic] He concluded: "You just have it, there's nothing wrong with you, zero, as other people who have had similar experiences will testify."

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In a candid revelation, Chris shared his insights on battling health conditions, stating: "The biggest weapon you have against this, this and other conditions, is time. And the biggest weapon they have against you is also time." He further explained, "So their biggest weapon against you is your lack of time or the lateness of your detection and your biggest weapon against them is how early your detection is."

Evans, who had a prostate cancer scare in 2015 but was given the all-clear, opened up about his experience with skin cancer. He said: "The thing about skin cancer is it can go up, down, north, south, east, west and you can go down into (the body) as well so I'm more grateful on today than I've ever been for anything."

Expressing his gratitude, he added: "I feel extraordinarily lucky, genuinely. I'm not saying this because it's a cool thing to say but I'm very blessed and very happy to talk to you about it." The Virgin Radio DJ used his platform to urge men to "check" themselves, highlighting that common places "missed" include the middle of the back, which he said is usually not spotted by those who are single, as "nobody sees it". He concluded with a powerful message: "The only thing to fear is inaction. I know that's a big deal for some people, but if you're not going to do it for yourself, do it for those who love you."

In January 2019, Chris made a significant career move to Virgin Radio after leaving his long-running breakfast programme on BBC Radio 2 the previous year. Beyond radio, Evans has also made his mark on television, having been a presenter on Channel 4 morning show The Big Breakfast and comedy and music programme TFI Friday.

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Amy Denman