BBC News At Six regular, George Alagiah has announced that he is stepping back from presenting the channel's evening news bulletin. It has been reported that scans showed his bowel cancer has spread further.
George, 66, was first diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2014. Treatment has meant that he has stepped back from his role at the BBC intermittently. In October last year he took a break from presenting, but returned to BBC News At Six in April, reported the Mirror.
Sadly, once again, the news broadcasting favourite has revealed that he will once again have to take a break from his BBC duties to 'sort out the tough stuff'. George's agent, Mary Greenham, broke the news to followers on social media, writing on his behalf: "A recent scan showed that my cancer has spread further so it's back to some tough stuff."
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Despite being in agony while working, George says his job still gives him a boost. The post added: "I'm missing my colleagues. Working in the newsroom has been such an important part of keeping energised and motivated. I look forward to being back in that studio as soon as I can."
Last month, the newsreader revealed he had a 'tumour site' at the base of his back and has spent 18 months in 'extreme pain'.
"It is near my L5 lowest vertebra. I've spent a lot of the last 18 months in extreme pain. There have been times when even lying down makes it worse," he told The Sunday Telegraph.
Asked if the cancer had spread to his spine, George said: "I don't know if it is into my spine. It is very technical so you have to be careful. What I have is a tumour that is resting very close to the spine and, as far as doctors can make out, has eroded a bit of a vertebra. More importantly, it is sitting very close to the nerve and the aorta. Both of which are significant. That's the one we are watching."
The newsreader, who returned to screens in April after a six-month break, had previously said of working with his condition: “I’ve spent a lot of the last 18 months in extreme pain. There have been times when even lying down makes it worse.
“By the time I walk out of that newsroom at seven o’clock in the evening, having been there since the morning, I am absolutely knackered physically – but mentally I am rejuvenated."
After his initial stage four diagnosis he had 17 rounds of chemotherapy but the cancer came back in 2017.
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