Veteran comedian Tommy Cannon has spoken candidly about the profound fear he experienced after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in his 50s, a moment he described as being "frightened to death". Now 87, the entertainer, widely recognised as one half of the beloved duo Cannon and Ball, is using his platform to raise awareness for Prostate Cancer UK, having lived with the condition under active surveillance for over two decades.
Cannon, who became a household name alongside the late Bobby Ball through their eponymous ITV variety show from 1979 to 1988, recounted the shock of his diagnosis to the Press Association.
He explained that after an initial blood test and biopsy came back clear, a subsequent repeat test years later delivered the devastating news. "The first time I had a blood test and a biopsy, and that was all clear," he said. "Then a few years later, they called me back in just to repeat the test and this time it was cancer, which absolutely frightened me to death. I didn’t know whether I was coming or going to be honest."
The comedian also recalled a particularly distressing moment during an MRI scan when the machine "broke down," leaving him "absolutely panic ridden" before he was referred to a specialist. He has since been on active surveillance, a method Prostate Cancer UK describes as monitoring localised early prostate cancer through regular testing rather than immediate treatment.
"Luckily for me, the levels have been under the radar for treatment for all these years. I’m now 87 and I’m feeling good," Cannon shared, adding, "But just a mere mention of cancer is enough to frighten anybody." He expressed gratitude for his continued health, stating, "Luckily, thank the Lord, I’m still here, still kicking and doing OK."
Cannon urged other men to get tested, emphasising the life-saving potential of early detection. "Anybody, any man out there, should go for a test without a shadow of a doubt because it’s life-saving," he insisted. "All I can say is, anybody who’s over the age of 50 and you’ve never been tested for prostate cancer, go and do it. I’m telling you, you’ll be relieved when they say, ‘No, everything’s fine, all right’. Even if you’ve got it, if you catch it early enough, it can be stopped."
He credited his wife, Hazel Winman, for her unwavering support, calling her "amazing" and "strong." "I’ve got a great family. I’ve got a great family life. I’m a very lucky man," he reflected. While the cancer remains "in the back of my mind," he admitted, "very rarely do I even think about it to be honest."
Despite his age and health journey, Cannon remains active in entertainment, performing across the country. "I wouldn’t know what to do if I didn’t go out and work," he said, also expressing his desire to "keep his [Bobby Ball's] memory alive." Cannon and Ball met as welders in Oldham in the 1960s, rising to fame after an appearance on ITV’s Opportunity Knocks in 1968. Ball tragically died in 2020 at 76 after contracting Covid.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the UK, with one in eight receiving a diagnosis in their lifetime. The risk increases for men over 50, those of Black ethnicity, or with a family history of the disease. While it often develops slowly with no initial symptoms, the NHS advises that signs can include an increased need to urinate, straining, or a feeling that the bladder has not fully emptied.
