Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek has revealed he has been diagnosed with bowel cancer.
Despite the diagnosis, the 47-year-old said there was “reason for optimism” and that he was “feeling good” as he made the announcement in an interview with US outlet People.
The star made his name playing Dawson Leery in the US teen drama series from 1998 to 2003, and is due to appear in a US Fox special called The Real Full Monty, which is based on the 1997 British film and will see a group of male celebrities strip down to raise awareness for cancer awareness and research.
He told People: “I have colorectal cancer, I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family.
“There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”
The Connecticut actor has continued to work, recently appearing in an episode of Walker, the reboot of Walker, Texas Ranger, on US network The CW, and will appear in Sidelined: The QB And Me, a Tubi original film which will be released on November 29.
He told People he has also been prioritising time with his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek and their six children Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.
Van Der Beek is also known for his roles as a fictional version of himself in Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, in CSI: Cyber as FBI agent Elijah Mundo, and as Matt Bromley in the first season of the FX drama Pose.
Bowel cancer can develop in the rectum or colon and is one of the most common types of cancer in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK.
The charity says it is sometimes called colorectal cancer because it affects the large bowel, which includes the colon and rectum.
It says symptoms include bleeding from the back passage, blood in poo or a change in someone’s normal bowel habit.
