Taskmaster star Richard Herring has announced he has cancer for the second time, this time in his blood. The comedian shared the news with his Substack followers, describing the diagnosis as 'incurable'.
Second Cancer Diagnosis
'Let me give you the bad news first. I have cancer again. Not ball cancer this time, I can't afford to lose another one of those (though I will be doing my show 'The Male Eunuch' if it does happen),' he wrote. 'This time I have blood cancer. And God is determined to make sure I get the funniest cancers possible and this one is called hairy cell leukaemia. The other bad news is that it is incurable.'
Treatable but Incurable
Despite the bleak label, Herring reassured fans that the cancer is treatable. 'The good news is that it's entirely treatable and will not kill me (the treatment has a tiny chance of killing me, but so has loading the dishwasher, so don't worry about it).' He added that he plans to use the diagnosis for comedic effect, joking about setting up a JustGiving page with a sad face.
Herring explained that the diagnosis took years to confirm. 'They found a few of the cells in my bone marrow about 12 years ago, but it didn't get any worse and after five years of being tested the doctor said it was probably going to be OK.' He admitted he had 'sort of forgotten about it' until recent tests.
Treatment and NHS Experience
The comedian described his first day of chemotherapy and praised the NHS, noting 'there were no immediate problems.' He also confirmed that the blood cancer is unrelated to his previous testicular cancer, joking, 'Someone up there just doesn't like me. But they don't hate me that much. So keep giving me the flimsiest and easiest to live with and funniest named cancers available.'
Career Highlights
Herring is best known for winning the tenth series of Taskmaster in 2020 and the subsequent Champion of Champions special. He has written and performed in fourteen one-man shows and co-wrote the sitcom Time Gentlemen Please. He also appeared on Have I Got News For You and The Great Celebrity Pottery Throwdown this year.
With over 10,000 Substack followers, Herring regularly shares personal updates. He closed his post with characteristic humour: 'To have one cancer elicits sympathy, but getting two starts to look a bit like attention-seeking. At least get a properly dangerous one if you're going to make a big deal about it. I feel a bit embarrassed about it.'
