Rhod Gilbert gets first clear cancer scan since diagnosis

'The tumour had gone, and it was once again an ordinary blood vessel'

In July last year, the stand-up comic revealed he was undergoing treatment for the cancer and was receiving care at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff.

A few months later, he shared that his cancer was at stage four, but added that he was "happy, positive and optimistic."

He had surgery for metastatic cancer of the head and neck, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Now, he has received his first clear cancer scan since undergoing treatment.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Gilbert said that it was "the best day of my life" when he discovered the cancer had not spread.

He told the publication: "I was back on the road earlier this year when I got a call to say my latest scan had shown the cancer was in the areas they knew about, but it wasn't in my lungs or my brain."

He explained that he later received his first clear scan, saying that the "tumour had gone, and it was once again an ordinary blood vessel."

Gilbert has made a documentary about his experience through treatment, revealing he had approached a team about the idea just days before his treatment was set to begin.

"I was lying in bed on the Friday, with my treatment due to start the following Monday," he said. "I rang the team I knew - there was no broadcaster on board, it was all on spec - and I asked: 'How would you fancy joining me on this journey?'

"It was partly for me because I'd cancelled all my TV work and tours and wanted to have something other than 'cancer' in my diary.

"I knew I wouldn't be well enough to go on stage or TV, but I thought I might be well enough to lie in bed and talk to a documentary team about how ill I was."

The comedian is a comedy panel show regular having appeared on the likes of Mock The Week, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Have I Got News For You, and starred on series 7 of Taskmaster.

He also hosted Never Mind the Buzzcocks from 2014 to 2015, and had his own BBC show called Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience in which he tried his hand at a number of different jobs.

Rhod Gilbert: A Pain in the Neck will air on 30 October on Channel 4 as part of the broadcaster's Stand Up To Cancer campaign.

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