James Whale, the 74-year-old TalkTV presenter, has announced he is leaving the channel after revealing his stage four kidney cancer has become terminal. In a heartbreaking update on his show James Whale Unleashed, he said things are getting "very, very difficult."
Whale, who has been battling the disease for five years, told viewers that treatment is no longer an option and he will be "lucky to make it to Christmas." He admitted: "I'm at the end of my cancer journey. There is no treatment I can have anymore."
During his final appearances, Whale spoke candidly about the reality of his condition. He said: "Until very recently, everything was quite normal for me, everything was fine, and then you do get to a stage like I am now, where things get to be very very difficult." He added: "To anybody else who is in the final stages of cancer, you have my sympathy. I know exactly what you're going through."
The presenter, who has worked in broadcasting for 25 years, expressed gratitude to TalkTV for allowing him to continue on air. He joked: "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."
Whale first revealed his worsening condition in May, noting that a severe bout of flu led to an intensive care stay. Despite his health, he remained light-hearted, saying: "It might actually be helping me, you never know... 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."
Fans have rallied with messages of support, with one writing: "I'm also stage 4 kidney cancer but you are a real inspiration." The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to those affected by cancer.
