Radio host Chris Stark has said he has been diagnosed with testicular cancer.
The Capital Breakfast Show and former BBC Radio 1 host said he had undergone surgery and was “effectively cured” after the disease was caught early.
In a social media post on Monday, the 38-year-old said he had taken the past couple weeks off work to have chemotherapy “to best prevent anything from coming back” and said he would be returning to the radio on Tuesday.
He added “my hope is any bloke reading this will perhaps think to check themselves today” or “go to a doctor if not sure about possible symptoms”.
Stark said the cancer had been caught after a routine trip to the doctor a couple months ago.
He then had surgery “pretty quickly,” followed by chemotherapy.
“The reason I want to share this is that I feel like an idiot that I didn’t spot this sooner,” he wrote.
He stressed that the cancer was “so, so treatable” if caught early.
He said it was a difficult subject to discuss, but that he hoped sharing his diagnosis “helps make that conversation less tricky for guys, encourages someone to check themselves and potentially saves a life”.
He thanked his family, friends and work colleagues and the “incredible” medical staff he had encountered, especially in cancer care.
Stark co-hosts Capital FM’s Breakfast Show and That Peter Crouch Podcast.
He previously presented on BBC Radio 1 alongside Scott Mills, leaving the station in 2022 after 10 years.
Commenting on Stark’s post, his co-hosts Jordan North and Siân Welby shared their love and support for Stark.
“Unreal bravery from you Chris,” Welby wrote. “I’ve never known anyone handle a situation with such class and determination.”
Scott Mills commented that it was “so, so amazing” that Stark was sharing his diagnosis, adding: “Always here for you.”
Testicular cancer is most common in men aged 15 to 49, according to the NHS.
The main symptoms include a lump or swelling in the testicle, an ache or pain in the testicle or scrotum, the testicle getting bigger, or the scrotum feeling heavy.
