Comedian and presenter Rhod Gilbert, who is appearing on Blankety Blank today (April 18), previously opened up about his “new normal” following his stage 4 cancer diagnosis.
In June 2022, the 57-year-old was diagnosed with head and neck cancer. He underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff and received his first clear scan in October 2023.
Rhod Gilbert opens up about ‘new normal’ following cancer diagnosis
After receiving his first clear scan, Rhod told BBC Wales 2024 that “life is sweet” and that he was feeling “wonderful”.
“This sounds absurd because as any cancer patient will tell you, it’s a new normal,” he explained.
“Things are never quite the same again, but I sort of feel better than I’ve ever done in my life,” Rhod continued.
He said everything seemed “a bit heightened, a bit sweeter” and made him notice life is “a bit more important”.
“I feel everything a bit more keenly, so waking up every morning is exciting,” Rhod added.
‘Disgusting’ side effects
In December 2024, Rhod opened up about the unpleasant side effects he was left with following his cancer battle.
“With head and neck cancer, quite often, everything tastes disgusting with head and neck. Even water, even a cup of tea, everything is disgusting,” he told The Mirror.
“Not now, but I’m still left with some problems. So tea still tastes a bit odd, lots of things taste weird still. My taste is almost, sort of 80 per cent back to normal. My swallowing is pretty good, but at the time, you can’t swallow and everything tastes disgusting.
“Food is horrible. I mean you’re being fed by a machine straight into your stomach, with head and neck cancer quite often, because you can’t swallow as it’s too painful.”
Read more: Tributes flood in as BBC Breakfast host Naga Munchetty shares star’s heartbreaking cancer diagnosis
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