Entertainment
Eric Idle broke down in tears when cancer doctors told him he was going to live-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro
The Monty Python legend wept tears of joy.
Eric Idle didn’t cry until he found out he was going to survive (Picture: Ryan Miller/REX/Shutterstock)
Monty Python legend Eric Idle broke down in tears when his cancer doctor told him he was going to live.
The 79-year-old has revealed he remained stoic when he was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer three years ago – insisting he ‘just got on with it’ – but after undergoing surgery and several rounds of check-ups he was finally given the all clear.
Eric told The Guardian: ‘I didn’t cry till I knew I was going to live. I just got on with it. I’m British! You try not to show emotions in the face of danger.’
After a five-hour surgery to remove the cancer from his pancreas, Eric had to go back to his doctor every six months for a check-up and Eric said his most recent appointment was when he got the real shock.
He explained: ‘I’ve been living six months to six months on tests. I didn’t know how much longer I had. I saw my doctor recently, and that’s when I got the real shock.
‘I asked him how long I had left, and he said: 10 years. He also said: “Had you been two weeks later you wouldn’t have got to see the surgery; you would have been straight into chemo”, which is unpleasant and not much use at that stage.’
The Monty Python legend was recently unveiled on The Masked Singer US (Picture: Fox TV / Backgrid)
Later in the interview, Eric lifted the mood by describing his friendship with King Charles – revealing they were close in the 2000s when he was Prince of Wales but they haven’t seen each other in a while.
He said of the new monarch: ‘He’d come over for dinner and we’d rip his ass, and he just loved it. He just loved it. Imagine you’ve got sycophantic people around you all day and now a bunch of comedians are ripping you apart. It must feel so healthy finally.’
Last month, Eric was revealed as Hedgehog on the US version of The Masked Singer, and used his appearance on the show to announce that he was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago.
Following his elimination, the actor released a video urging people to donate to help those suffering from pancreatic cancer, having survived the condition himself.
He appeared on The Graham Norton Show on Friday, and explained he used the show as a platform to ‘raise awareness’ about the condition.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Entertainment – MetroRead More
