Celebrities and Campaigners React with Disappointment
Prominent figures from British media and sport have expressed profound disappointment following a decision by the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) not to recommend a universal prostate cancer screening programme for all men. The draft recommendation, issued on Friday 28 November 2025, has sparked a significant backlash from those personally affected by the disease.
Sir Tony Robinson, the 79-year-old actor famed for his role in Blackadder, and veteran journalist Dermot Murnaghan, 67, are among the leading voices criticising the move. Both have publicly shared their own cancer diagnoses, with Sir Tony revealing his in 2023 and Mr Murnaghan disclosing his stage four prostate cancer earlier this year.
The Committee's Stance and the Rationale
The UKNSC's draft proposal does suggest that men with a known genetic predisposition to the disease should be offered screening once every two years. However, the committee has firmly ruled out implementing a population-wide testing initiative. The primary reason cited for this rejection is the potential for overdiagnosis and the associated 'harms' that can arise from treating slow-growing cancers that may never become life-threatening.
This decision comes at a time when prostate cancer is a dominant topic in the national conversation, partly fuelled by recent revelations from former Prime Minister David Cameron about his own treatment for the disease.
A Unified Call for Action and Better Support
In response to the news, Sir Tony Robinson stated he was "bitterly disappointed". He emphasised that early diagnosis saves lives and lamented the lack of a national screening programme. He referenced his work with Prostate Cancer UK and expressed hope for the ongoing Transform trial, launched last week, which aims to develop a more effective screening method by combining PSA tests with rapid MRI scans.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast, Dermot Murnaghan admitted he had been "silly" to delay his own testing. He described the committee's decision as a missed opportunity for progress, stating, "With prostate cancer cases higher than they’ve ever been... I really thought we were heading to an exciting moment here." Despite his incurable diagnosis, he vowed to continue fighting to raise awareness.
The criticism extends beyond these two figures. Actor Colin McFarlane and former footballer Les Ferdinand have also voiced their dismay, with both highlighting the disproportionate impact on black men. Mr Ferdinand pointed out that black men face double the risk of both developing and dying from prostate cancer, calling the current guidelines that prevent GPs from proactively contacting them outdated and unacceptable.
Adding his weight to the cause, Sir Stephen Fry, an ambassador for Prostate Cancer Research, called the news "deeply disappointing," noting that prostate cancer remains the second biggest cancer killer of men in the UK, claiming over 12,000 lives annually. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, also a Prostate Cancer Research ambassador, labelled the recommendation a "missed opportunity to make a generational difference to male health."
The consensus among campaigners is clear: the responsibility for early detection must not rest solely on men's shoulders, and a more proactive, systematic approach is urgently needed to combat this disease.
