Alex Jones showed her support for Russell Watson after the singer shared an encouraging update about his long-running health battle on The One Show. The Welsh presenter was back on Monday’s (August 10) episode alongside Roman Kemp as the show began a series of special broadcasts celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Alex and Roman were joined in the studio by actress Sian Clifford and singer Russell, who has previously spoken openly on the programme about his experiences following a brain tumour diagnosis. Before beginning the night's interviews, Alex highlighted the positive news Russell had brought with him.
Russell's health journey
“Russell, many times you've talked about your health struggles on this show and you've been really open, we thank you for that, but today you bring good news,” Alex told him. Russell, 58, went on to explain the remarkable development he had recently learned about concerning his health.
The singer was diagnosed with a brain tumour after suffering “terrible headaches” and a deterioration in his eyesight in 2006. Although doctors successfully removed a benign tumour that year, he was diagnosed with another tumour the following year. Russell explained that the tumour, which sits at the base of his brain, caused significant damage to his pituitary gland.
Recovery and reduced medication
For years, he had been told that the damage to the gland would not recover. But after struggling with his weight despite exercising and eating well, Russell decided to investigate whether his medication could be contributing to the problem. He explained that he had been taking steroids because his body was unable to produce enough cortisol, a hormone essential to keeping the body functioning.
After contacting his endocrinologist and undergoing further tests, Russell received news that he had begun producing cortisol naturally again. “I've had some brilliant news,” he told Alex and Roman. Russell said the discovery meant he had been able to reduce the amount of steroids he takes, initially cutting his dose in half before being told following another test that it could be reduced again.
Impact on his life
He said there is now a possibility that he may eventually no longer need to take the medication. The singer also explained that the steroids had affected more than just his weight, saying they had sometimes left him feeling “fuzzy headed”, unwell and had affected his mood. Russell described the recovery of his pituitary function as rare, particularly given that such recovery was not widely accepted as possible until more recently.
The emotional health update came as The One Show celebrated two decades on screen. The BBC magazine programme began with a pilot series in 2006 before becoming a regular fixture on BBC One in 2007. The One Show airs weekdays from 7pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
