Jamie Theakston has revealed he initially kept his possible cancer diagnosis a secret from beloved wife Sophie Siegle for weeks as they enjoyed a family holiday to Japan. 

The Heart Breakfast host, 54, who is now cancer free, said he was so blindsided by the news he worked hard to ‘suppress it’ in order to enjoy the trip with their sons Sidney, 17, and Kit, 16.

Jamie announced he had been diagnosed with stage one laryngeal cancer in October 2024 after listeners had noticed there was something not right with his voice. It’s cancer is a type of cancer that affects the larynx (voice box).

Speaking on the latest episode of Davina McCall’s Begin Again podcast, Jamie explained that he had to undergo emergency scans just hours before boarding a plane for their long-awaited family trip. 

‘I didn’t tell anyone. At that stage, I thought, well, it might not be cancer. So there’s no point really in saying anything,’ he said. ‘I just tried to suppress it. All I could think was, it’s probably not.’ 

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Jamie Theakston has revealed he initially kept his possible cancer diagnosis a secret from beloved wife Sophie Siegle (pictured together) for weeks as they enjoyed a family holiday

The Heart Breakfast host said he was so blindsided by the news he worked hard to ‘suppress it’ in order to enjoy the trip with their sons Sidney, 17, and Kit, 16 (pictured with his sons in 2018)

It wasn’t until the biopsy results came back that the cancer diagnosis was confirmed. ‘I then had to go home and tell my wife,’ he said. ‘She was distraught.’

 ‘I went on holiday with this in the back of my mind, We had a fantastic time – but obviously, this was there in the background.’

Breaking the news to his sons, he said, was the hardest part: ‘I had to explain to them that I was going to be fine, but they were too young to understand. When you say you’ve got cancer to a 14-year-old, they think you’re going to die’. 

‘My youngest son had been with me when I was told my mum had died of cancer, so he knew what it meant.’

Jamie lost his mum in late 2022. ‘I was so pleased that she had died before I got cancer,’ he said. ‘I would’ve hated for her to know. I’m not sure what that would’ve done to her.

During the chat he recalled how listeners noticed his voice had changed: People mentioned my voice wasn’t sounding right,’ he said. ‘And I knew it wasn’t right myself, but you just think – sore throat, nothing serious.’  

But a visit to a throat specialist changed everything. ‘He looked at my throat and said, “Oh yeah, that’s probably cancer” I said “What do you mean?” And he said “Nine times out of ten, it is cancer and we need to get you scanned now.”’

After his initial surgery, doctors feared some cancerous cells may have been left behind, prompting a second, and eventually a third operation. ‘We were getting dangerously close to removing so much of the vocal cord that I wouldn’t be able to talk again,’ he reflected.

Speaking on the latest episode of Davina McCall ’s Begin Again podcast, Jamie explained that he had to undergo emergency scans just hours before boarding a plane for their trip

‘I didn’t tell anyone. At that stage, I thought, well, it might not be cancer. So there’s no point really in saying anything I just tried to suppress it. All I could think was, it’s probably not.’

Breaking the news to his sons, he said, was the hardest part: ‘I had to explain to them that I was going to be fine, but they were too young to understand’

But the third surgery was successful, and in January this year, Jamie triumphantly returned to Heart Breakfast alongside co-host Amanda Holden – whom he credits with getting him through it. ‘Amanda was incredible,’ he said. ‘She checked in on me nonstop. She kept the show going. She’s a force of nature.’

Read More Jamie Theakston issues health update after cancer treatment and sends touching message to radio listeners

Now cancer-free, Jamie says his recent health ordeal has dramatically transformed his outlook on life. ‘It’s been a real gift. Often when bad things happen to us, there are good things to take from it. And I really do feel that I am a better person because of what I’ve been through.

‘I hope it’ll make me a better parent. Maybe it might make me a better broadcaster. It certainly feels like it made me a better person.’

Indeed, he’s not wasting time. ‘Before cancer, I was very analogue – I had a Filofax. Now I’m digital. My calendar is packed for weeks ahead. I’ll say to people, “Let’s book a golf weekend in 2027.” I just want to plan everything, because I can.’

Though he says he never truly believed he would die, the gravity of what might have been has left a lasting impression. ‘I look back and think about when you tell your children you’ve got cancer, and what that might mean, to then telling them you don’t have cancer anymore, and what that might mean, and all of a sudden, you see your future ahead of you.’

After undergoing three life-changing surgeries and being told he had ‘a one in six chance he might not be able to talk again’, Jamie revealed In January that he was free from the disease 

Jamie, who once shied away from talking about personal struggles publicly, says he now feels a responsibility to speak out – especially given how unusual his type of cancer is.

‘The cancer I had, laryngeal cancer, is very rare. A lot of doctors I spoke to had never even seen a case of it. But because it presents itself through your voice, you can diagnose it early. And that’s why I’m still here.’

He’s become evangelical about early diagnosis. ‘Cancer outcomes at stage one are really good. But once it gets to stage three, it’s not.’

Jamie now goes for monthly check-ups, and his voice, while not back to full strength, is improving. ‘It’s getting stronger. I feel in a much better place – physically and mentally.

‘I’ve learned so much about myself and about how strong you can be. I’ve learned about other people, about friends and family, about how important they can be.’

What is laryngeal cancer?

According to the NHS website, Laryngeal cancer is a type of cancer that affects the larynx (voice box).

The larynx is part of the throat found at the entrance of the windpipe (trachea). It plays an important role in helping you breathe and speak.

In the UK, there are more than 2,000 new cases of laryngeal cancer each year.

The condition is more common in people over the age of 60. It’s more common in men than women.