The Motorbike Show presenter Henry Cole has revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer in his bowels.
The ITV star, 62, shared in a post on Instagram that he had had to postpone his upcoming theater tour to undergo surgery.
Henry told his followers in a video that he is expected to make a “full recovery,” and said the cancer is “easily operable.”
The star is best known for hosting shows like The Motorbike Show and Shed and Buried, after first launching his career as a news cameraman and director.
Henry previously struggled with a heroin addiction for five years, but has been clean since 1988.
Sharing a video during filming for the latest series of his ITV4 show, Henry said: ‘I’ve just had a little announcement, okay, which is to say, I’m terribly sorry. I’ll have to move the shows this side of Christmas, and the live shows to after Christmas, then we’ll rebook them.
The Motorbike Show presenter Henry Cole, 62, has revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer in his bowels and would postpone his upcoming tour to undergo surgery
“I’ll tell you why that is, it’s because I have a little bit of cancer, okay? Here in my little belly. It’s localized, it’s easy to operate and thank goodness we found it.
“So, God willing, I’m told I’ll make a full recovery and emerge smiling around February, but please folks, please understand that I’m so sorry that this wasn’t clearly meant to happen, but in the meantime, filming, look!
“Filming won’t be affected, but no matter what, God puts a little shit in your man bag sometimes, right?
“But we’ll be fine, and whatever life throws at you, you must grow old shamefully, I’ll keep you updated along the way. Lots of love!’
Among those sharing messages of support for Henry was Elizabeth Hurley, who starred in his 1995 film Mad Dogs and Englishmen, and she said: ‘I love you ❤️❤️.’
Henry previously opened up about his heroin addiction in an interview with The Telegraph in 2019, admitting he was on a downward spiral during his time as a news cameraman.
He said: ‘I was spending £250 a day on heroin, using my overdraft and what I could bleed from my small business. Luckily I hadn’t signed any personal guarantees.
‘In the late eighties I became a virtual recluse. I couldn’t even bear to go out to the streets to get drugs and had them delivered by shipping drivers at a cost of £7,000 a year. Strangely enough, the only people I ever saw were Luke and Matt Goss from the pop band Bros, who lived in the flat above.
The star is best known for hosting shows like The Motorbike Show and Shed and Buried, having first launched his career as a news cameraman and director.
Henry told his followers in a video that he is expected to make a “full recovery,” and said the cancer is “easily operable.”
‘I suffered a serious mental decline and stopped paying the mortgage on the flat I shared with my then girlfriend, who left me. Not long after a number of failed suicide attempts, my belongings were confiscated.’
After starting his career as a cinematographer and director, Henry launched his own production company, which has helmed a string of motorcycle-themed shows including World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides, The Motorbike Show, Shed and Buried, Junk & Disorderly and Find It, Fix It, Flog It.
He shares two sons, Charlie and Tom, with his wife Janie.
