James Whale celebrates birthday after saying he’ll be ‘lucky to make it to Christmas’

The radio host was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer five years ago.

James Whale celebrates birthday after saying he’ll be ‘lucky to make it to Christmas’

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TalkTV presenter James Whale celebrated his birthday surrounded by friends and family after sharing there is no cancer treatment he can have anymore.

The 73-year-old radio host told listeners he was at the end of his cancer journey, after being diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer five years ago.

Whale was joined for his birthday celebrations by contributor on his show, Lizzie Cundy, who shared a slideshow of snaps to her Instagram alongside James and his wife Nadine Lamont-Brown.

TV producer Simon Withington and Pimlico Plumbers founder Charlie Mullins, who said he had flown in from Dubai especially for the occasion, were also in attendance.

The photos were taken on a sunny day at a Kent hotel and posted alongside a clip of Cundy giving James a mini interview.

Speaking to the camera and holding a microphone, Cundy told her followers: ‘We’re here today to celebrate the legend that is James Whale’s birthday.’

James was surrounded by friends and family (Picture: @lizziecundy)

She then sat down to talk with Whale, who joked to her: ‘Lizzie I didn’t recognise you there with so many clothes on.’

On a more serious note, Cundy asked after his health, and he said he was feeling ‘okay’. He added: ‘As people know, I’m not about to die. Well, you never know, do you? I’ve had all my treatment. 

‘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.’

It comes after Whale told his listeners he could no longer undergo any cancer treatment.

Joined by Talk co-host Ash Gould, he said: ‘I’m at the end of my cancer journey.

‘I can’t tell you how grateful I am to Talk 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!’

Whale told his listeners he could no longer undergo any cancer treatment (Picture: @lizziecundy)

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 judgment – but on the medication I am on, I’m all over the place.

‘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.’

In December, Whale’s wife 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.

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