Radio 4's Jon Holmes has opened up about the moment he told his daughters about his prostate cancer diagnosis, revealing that he only got tested because he is adopted. The 57-year-old Dead Ringers co-creator was diagnosed in 2023 after encouragement from Stephen Fry, who had the disease in 2017, prompted him to get checked.
A Father's Difficult Conversation
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Holmes recalled telling his daughters Isla and Maisie about his condition. He said: 'They [doctors] were very upfront about the level of it, and they were very sort of, "You're not going to die," which is the first thing I said to my kids when I told them. I think they were disappointed, but that's the most important thing you need to tell people and yourself.'
He continued: 'They knew of cancer because there are friends who've had it before and are fine, and then we had a close friend die of cancer a few years ago. I told them in the kitchen and just said, "look, I've been for some tests." I didn't tell them during the process, but when it was diagnosed. I've been for some tests, it turns out I've got cancer, but it's in a place that's fixable.'
Holmes added: 'I didn't need to explain what a prostate was to them, no need for two girls, not going to happen. So, I said it's in a place that's fixable, that I'm going to have surgery, I'm thinking about surgery, and there are other options. It's going to be fine. And then the youngest one just said, "Right, is that it? Can I have an apple?" Yes, and that was it,' he laughed.
Confronting Mortality
Following his diagnosis, Holmes underwent a radical prostatectomy—the surgical removal of the entire prostate gland, surrounding tissue, and seminal vesicles. Despite being told his cancer was curable, he admitted the thought of death still crossed his mind. He explained: 'I think you find yourself confronting mortality because there's always a "what if" isn't there? So there's a lot of "what ifs", and I made a will. I organised that the day before my surgery because I'd never done it before.'
'It does make you realise that you only get one shot at this, I suppose, which is a cliché, I know, but it puts stuff into perspective a bit. You are forced to think about things that you thought you wouldn't be thinking about for a few decades yet. And you do start thinking, "What will happen with the kids?" you know, all that stuff. So yeah, I absolutely thought about it, but hoped for the best.'
Thankfully, the surgery was successful, and in July 2024, Holmes confirmed he was cancer-free. But his story could have ended very differently had he not decided to get tested three years earlier.
How Adoption Saved His Life
The diagnosis came as a shock after Holmes admitted he had been 'too busy' to get checked. Despite initially being turned down for testing because he had no symptoms, Holmes revealed his GP eventually agreed to a blood test because he is adopted. He recalled: 'I spoke to the GP, who said there isn't a national screening programme for this. So what you're seeing is some awareness campaign, but actually there isn't a programme where men over 50 get tested. It's not like breast cancer, where women do as a matter of course now. It just doesn't happen.'
'He ran through a checklist, basically: do you get up in the night all the time to go to the toilet, do you have erection problems, do you have this, this, this? And the answer to all of them, I'm pleased to say, was no. So we got to the end of it and he said, 'well, then no, you don't need a test because we do it if there's a symptom, basically.'
'Before you go, one final question: is there any of it in your family, family history, medical history? And I said, 'I have no idea, I was adopted.' And he went, "In that case, let's get you in," and that's what got me through the door. So had I not been adopted, I'd now have prostate cancer without even knowing about it until it was probably too late. I genuinely wouldn't have gone for that unless I'd been adopted because the answer at the moment from the NHS is, 'come and see us if you have symptoms.' But if you've got symptoms, it could be too late.'
Mind the Gap Campaign
To encourage more men to get tested, Holmes has teamed up with GenesisCare for the new Mind the Gap campaign, highlighting gaps in understanding around prostate cancer treatment options. The campaign includes an infographic outlining the treatment options available following a diagnosis and how those decisions can affect future treatment if the cancer returns.
Having undergone a prostatectomy, Holmes admitted he had no idea the cancer could come back—something that happens in 20 to 50 per cent of men—or how his treatment choice could affect future options. Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, with more than 63,000 new cases every year.
GenesisCare is also launching a new quizcast, The Big C QuizCast, hosted by Holmes, designed to support prostate cancer patients and their families. Holmes said: 'It's a simplification of a process and filling what is essentially a knowledge gap because there's stuff I didn't know, even now. I thought I knew most things about prostate cancer and its treatments, but it turns out I didn't. Ask all of the questions, go through whatever treatment, ask for all the options so you've got a choice—and an informed one.'
For more information on how to navigate your prostate cancer treatment pathway, visit the GenesisCare website.
What is Prostate Cancer?
More than 11,800 men a year—or one every 45 minutes—are killed by the disease in Britain, compared with about 11,400 women dying of breast cancer. It means prostate cancer is behind only lung and bowel in terms of how many people it kills in Britain. In the US, the disease kills 26,000 men each year. Despite this, it receives less than half the research funding of breast cancer and treatments for the disease are trailing at least a decade behind.
Every year, upwards of 52,300 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK—more than 140 every day. Prostate cancer usually develops slowly, so there may be no signs someone has it for many years, according to the NHS. If the cancer is at an early stage and not causing symptoms, a policy of 'watchful waiting' or 'active surveillance' may be adopted. Some patients can be cured if the disease is treated in the early stages. But if it is diagnosed at a later stage, when it has spread, then it becomes terminal and treatment revolves around relieving symptoms.
Thousands of men are put off seeking a diagnosis because of the known side effects from treatment, including erectile dysfunction. Tests for prostate cancer are haphazard, with accurate tools only just beginning to emerge. There is no national prostate screening programme as for years the tests have been too inaccurate. Doctors struggle to distinguish between aggressive and less serious tumours, making it hard to decide on treatment. Men over 50 are eligible for a 'PSA' blood test which gives doctors a rough idea of whether a patient is at risk. But it is unreliable. Patients who get a positive result are usually given a biopsy which is also not fool-proof. Scientists are unsure as to what causes prostate cancer, but age, obesity and a lack of exercise are known risks.
Anyone with any concerns can speak to Prostate Cancer UK's specialist nurses on 0800 074 8383 or visit prostatecanceruk.org.
