Veteran Australian entertainer John Blackman, the beloved voice behind a generation of laughter on Hey Hey It's Saturday, has bravely revealed his private battle with a devastating cancer diagnosis.
The 74-year-old broadcaster, famed for his cheeky puppet sidekick Dickie Knee, was diagnosed with an aggressive squamous cell carcinoma on his jawbone, news that sent shockwaves through his life and career.
A Shocking Discovery and Radical Treatment
The nightmare began in 2022 when a seemingly harmless ulcer on Blackman's tongue refused to heal. Medical investigations revealed the horrifying truth: a cancerous tumour that had already begun to eat into his jawbone.
Facing a life-or-death situation, Blackman underwent a monumental 14.5-hour surgery. The radical procedure involved surgeons removing a significant portion of his diseased jawbone and replacing it with a section of bone and tissue harvested from his leg.
The road to recovery was long and arduous. Blackman spent a gruelling 56 days in hospital, learning to speak and eat again, a testament to his incredible resilience.
Love and Support in the Darkest Time
Throughout the immense physical and emotional challenge, Blackman's wife of 25 years, Cecile, was his unwavering rock. He credits her strength and support for giving him the will to fight through the pain and rehabilitation.
The couple made the difficult decision to keep his illness private until he was on a more stable path to recovery, choosing to focus on his health away from the public eye.
A Iconic Career and an Uncertain Future
John Blackman's voice was the soundtrack to Saturday nights for millions of Australians during his three-decade tenure on Hey Hey It's Saturday. His quick wit and iconic characters, especially the irreverent Dickie Knee, cemented his place in the nation's entertainment hall of fame.
While the cancer is currently in remission, the surgery has left lasting effects. Blackman continues to navigate changes in his speech and physical appearance, facing his new reality with the same humour that defined his career.
His courageous story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of persistent health checks and early detection in the fight against cancer.
