Stand up comedian Rhod Gilbert has returned to the stage for the first time in over a year after undergoing cancer treatment. The 54-year-old from Carmarthen announced in July 2022 that he was receiving treatment at Velindre Cancer Hospital Centre in Cardiff, for which he is a patron.
The comedian was forced to cancel his latest stand up tour Book of John due to persistent neck and throat pain which was later diagnosed as cancer. Now, he has returned to the stage to complete the tour, with a show in Swansea Arena on Friday, May 19.
Sharing a lovely message on his Facebook page ahead of his first return show he said that it was "wonderful" to be back on stage. He said "It is wonderful being back doing stand up again for the first time in a year. I'm feeling good, hopfully it will be a good one tonight."
Read more: Rhod Gilbert reveals cancer sees him spending 'whole weeks' in bed
He went on to add: "[it's] lovely to be here, lovely to be back in Swansea, lovely to be alive and lovely to be back on tour". The Swansea gig was the first in the final seven of his rescheduled Book of John tour dates.
Swansea Arena said that the show was a "special one". “We were so thrilled to see him back doing what he does so brilliantly. We knew it would be a special one, but there’s nothing quite like witnessing a homegrown Welsh legend take to the stage in front of a sold out crowd."
Last year the comedian explained to the BBC how he first discovered the cancer. He said: "I had a terribly sore throat, tightness through my neck. I was having to cancel shows because I couldn't breathe. I was having all sorts of problems and we couldn't get to the bottom of it."
He added that his symptoms became worse when he was in Cuba, while he was fundraising for Velindre. He said: "In May, I noticed lumps started popping up in places they shouldn't be. It turns out I've got Stage 4 cancer. I also caught Covid on that walk as well. I came home with cancer and Covid from a Velindre fundraising trek... the irony of that! I went as a Velindre patron and came home as a patient."
The Book of John tour will arrive in Cardiff in October.
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