James Whale makes heartbreaking admission in terminal cancer update

James Whale has issued a sad update to fans about his condition (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

James Whale has given viewers and fans a heartbreaking update after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The radio personality and TV presenter, 73, is currently dealing with stage 4 kidney cancer, which has now spread to his brain, lungs, and spine.

After saying last month that he would be ‘exceptionally lucky to make it to Christmas’, James has continued to bravely go to work and feature on his TalkTV show.

And while appearing on that show, he has issued another sad update for his fans, explaining further about how cancer affects his daily life.

While talking to a guest who had lost her husband to cancer, James was frank with viewers, saying that things had taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks.

‘Until very recently, everything was quite normal for me; everything was fine, and then you do get to a stage like I am now, with things getting to be very, very difficult.

‘To anybody else who is in the final stages of cancer, you have my sympathy. I know exactly what you’re going through; I do know. I look basically OK, I get told, “You look alright” – it’s all makeup.’

In May, on his birthday, James revealed that he doesn’t have high expectations of seeing Christmas 2025, having already come to terms with his devastating prognosis.

‘As people know, I’m not about to die. Well, you never know, do you? I’ve had all my treatment.’

Insisting that he doesn’t want sympathy, he added: ‘I don’t want anybody feeling sorry; I’m just giving you a lowdown on it. 

‘If I make it to Christmas, I will be exceptionally lucky. Sometimes I think it will be easier just to have a heart attack and go.’

James spoke honestly with a caller who’d lost her husband to cancer (Picture: TalkTV) The TalkTV host was first diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2000 (Picture: @JamesWhaleRadio)

The two most recent updates have come after James revealed he’s having no further treatment and that all options to reverse his cancer have now been exhausted.

He did so to prioritise his ‘quality of life’ as he now focuses his time on ‘making memories’ with loved ones.

James has vowed to ‘make the next months as entertaining and interesting as [he] can’.

‘I’m at the end of my cancer journey. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to Talk [TV] to actually let me on the air and sit next to Ash, which is a real pain in the butt, but I’ve been doing it for 25 years!’, he also said.

Speaking about his plans to still work for as long as he could, he quipped: ‘It might actually be helping me, you never know, so I don’t let that cloud my judgement – but on the medication I am on, I’m all over the place.

He was given an MBE for services to broadcasting and charity in 2024 (Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

‘I’m hoping to go on for another few weeks, few months, but as soon as I can’t do the show anymore, I won’t.’

Last Christmas, James’ wife Nadine – whom he married in October 2021 – offered an update when he returned home from the hospital.

‘After a worrying week, I am happy to report that @THEJamesWhale is out of ICU and back at home, having batted off the Grim Reaper yet again.

‘This time he tried with a bout of Influenza A, but without success. Our hero is home for NYE,’ she wrote in a caption.

James was first diagnosed with kidney cancer in the year 2000 and was told he had just three months to live.

He had extensive surgery to remove a tumour, later launching the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer in 2006.