Lorraine Kelly welcomed EastEnders actor and comedian Brian Conley on to her show today (Friday 29 April), for a very personal reason.
The actor and comedian revealed that his father Colin sadly died aged just 59 due to bowel cancer.
“I know that very sadly, this illness has hit your family,” said Lorraine.
“He didn’t recognise it at the time,” said Brian, speaking about his dad.
“This was 23, 24 years ago, and I think he was very embarrassed about it and didn’t get help. And when he did go, it was too late.
“And that’s the sad thing, because as we all know, bowel cancer is so treatable, and would you believe it that just before lockdown in 2019, my mum contracted bowel cancer.”
Happily, Brian revealed that because his mum has a check-up early on, her bowel cancer was treated with non-invasive keyhole surgery.
“We just wish my dad had done that at the time,” said Brian. “I don’t know if it’s a bloke thing but he left it too long. Like I say, if you’ve got a car you don’t run it into the ground, you go and get it sorted.”
Brian added: “My mum has no history of it in her family, but she had it and is of course now OK.”
“It’s something so treatable. Me, my brother and my sister had to have a colonoscopy and they put a camera up there. Fortunately, there’s no camera crew or sound guy.”
“That would be bad!” said Lorraine.
Brian added: “If you’re sat at home saying ‘Well, I think I’m alright…’ – it is so treatable if you get in there early.
The actor then went on to break down another taboo around home testing for the disease.
“Every year I have to keep tabs on it at home with a test and you get a little stick like you get for your coffee – I can’t even look at a latte now!”
At this, Lorraine had to stifle her giggles.
“You get your little stick and put it in your poo and then put in in a tray, for the whole week.”
“Listen, if you’re feeling a little bit queasy or there’s blood in your poo, get it sorted straight.”
“Exactly,” said Lorraine, “and you talking about this is absolutely brilliant because we get so silly about it.
“Your dad may have still been with you if he hadn’t been so embarrassed, and we’re so silly about our bottoms. And it’s such a shame.”
No Butts campaign: https://www.itv.com/lorraine/articles/no-butts
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
