Jeremy Clarkson has said he feels "incredibly lucky" that his prostate cancer was caught early, as new figures show a surge in the number of men using Prostate Cancer UK's online risk checker following his diagnosis.
The 66-year-old presenter, who is now in remission, said he believes revealing his diagnosis was "worthwhile" if his story "gets even one bloke to stop ignoring the issue and do something about it".
Surge in men taking risk checker
New figures from Prostate Cancer UK show that nearly 50,880 men completed its online risk checker in the week after Clarkson revealed his diagnosis, up from 8,425 men the previous week. A further 22,562 men took the checker the day after Lord Cameron's announcement, up from 2,175 the previous Monday.
The charity also highlighted how 280,000 men checked their risk in the two months after Sir Chris Hoy's diagnosis. Clarkson's revelation prompted what has been described as a "Clarkson-Cameron effect", which has led other men to get checked after their diagnoses were made public.
'Shining a light' on the illness
Clarkson, who revealed he had been diagnosed with "aggressive" prostate cancer in an episode of Clarkson's Farm, has been praised for "shining a light" on the illness and encouraging more men to assess their risk.
He said: "I feel incredibly lucky that my cancer was caught early. It's why I'm still here today, feeling fine and looking forward to seeing my grandchildren grow up. To hear that actually tens of thousands of men have already taken the risk checker is something to be hugely proud of. But there's still plenty more to do. So, I'll keep saying it: if you're a man, check your risk. It only takes a couple of minutes and it could save your life."
Charity urges men to check risk
Amy Rylance, director of health services, equity and improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: "Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. But too many men are still being diagnosed by chance and, sadly, often too late for a cure. Our risk checker helps men navigate this complex disease, empowering men with a clear way to understand their risk and their choices. We hear from so many men who say a celebrity diagnosis inspired them to check their risk and in some cases saved their life."
The development comes as Clarkson declared he is determined to have "joy in my old age" and is refusing to give up alcohol or overhaul his diet despite undergoing cancer treatment. Speaking to The Times, he said: "Sure, I can eat less and more healthily. I can become a herbivore. And yes, I can go for 20-mile hikes and do 20,000 steps a day. But the truth is, there has to be some joy in life as well. And not drinking and not eating a pork chop means that there is less joy in life - and I haven't worked my arse off for 40 years to have no joy in my old age."
