James Whale, 71, admits he considered going to Dignitas after his terminal cancer diagnosis

James Whale has candidly admitted that he considered euthanasia following his tragic diagnosis of terminal cancer two years ago.

The 71-year-old radio host first battled kidney cancer in 2000 and the disease reappeared in 2020, before spreading to his brain, spine and lungs.

Reflecting on his terminal diagnosis, James said The express that he thought it would be ‘easier’ to go to the Dignitas assisted dying clinic in Switzerland.

Speaking in an interview with his wife Nadine Lamont-Brown, he admitted that he was thinking about the effect his diagnosis would have on his loved ones.

“I have a terminal illness, it would have been easier overall,” he told the publication. “The reason I wanted to go to Dignitas was because I was thinking of others, not myself.”

However, James added that he was “glad” he didn’t make the decision to leave because it has given him “two great years” with his wife Nadine.

Dignitas was founded in 1998 and only accepts patients with terminal illnesses or severe disabilities.

Euthanasia is the act of intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering, and countries have different laws surrounding the practice.

In Switzerland, it is legal to provide a person with the means to commit suicide as long as the motive is not “based on self-interest”. In the UK, assisted suicide is illegal and is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Elsewhere in the interview, James spoke harrowingly about his struggles with terminal cancer, admitting he doesn’t want to “go on forever” feeling as bad as he does now.

The TV personality also reflected on his relationship with Nadine, saying that he told her that they should “cool off” their romance when she was first diagnosed with cancer when they started dating.

He said, “It was so unfair to her, so I said, ‘I think we should calm down and not see each other,’ and she replied, ‘Oh, that’s good, so if I was just diagnosed with a terminal illness, you wouldn’t come to see me anymore. see me more”, so we continued”.

They then married at Tenterden town hall in Kent surrounded by loved ones in October 2021, with Nadine saying they didn’t have the “luxury” of time.

Health: The 71-year-old radio host first battled kidney cancer in 2000 and the disease returned in 2020, before spreading to his brain, spine and lungs.

The wedding came 14 months after the radio host revealed he is battling spinal, brain and kidney cancer, and three years after his first wife, Melinda, died of stage 4 lung cancer in 2018.

Previously, James was given just three months to live when he contracted kidney cancer in 2000, twenty years before his second terminal diagnosis.

In January, James revealed his problems with steroids amid his battle with cancer and said he was struggling with withdrawal symptoms.

Stopping steroid use suddenly can cause the adrenal gland, which produces important hormones for the body, to stop working, leading to extreme fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and loss of appetite.

Cancer: Reflecting on his terminal diagnosis, James said he thought it would be “easier” to go to the Dignitas assisted dying clinic in Switzerland.

He explained: ‘I’ve been on them for quite some time. They take away most of the pain and make you feel great, but leaving them is another story.

‘My sympathy goes out to anyone else going through steroids cold turkey. It seems I’m over it now, thank goodness, and it’s a matter of cleaning your body and giving it a rest, otherwise you start turning into Mr. Blobby.

‘And let’s face it, I was already halfway there!’

James also gave a harrowing speech at the British Curry Awards in London in November, saying his chemotherapy was “making it hard for him to breathe.”

Relationship: However, James added that he was “glad” he didn’t make the decision to leave because it has given him “two great years” with wife Nadine Nadine Lamont-Brown

He told the assembled guests: ‘I know many of you won’t like me, but next year I won’t be here. I have terminal cancer.

‘As you may be able to hear, I am undergoing chemotherapy, which is making it difficult for me to breathe, but I am fine. Don’t worry.’

James also referenced his good friend Enam Ali MBE, who died in July after a two-year battle with cancer. The Epsom curry pioneer raised more than £2m for charity before he died.

He continued: “I’m 70 now and I just want to say don’t waste your time on stupid things that don’t matter.”

Marriage: The couple (pictured from November) tied the knot at Tenterden Town Hall in Kent in October 2021, with Nadine saying they didn’t have the ‘luxury’ of time