Liverpool and England legend John Barnes has admitted that he never meant to make his prostate cancer diagnosis public, but he is now using the inadvertent disclosure to encourage other men to seek medical checks.
Barnes Opens Up About His Diagnosis
The 62-year-old former footballer appeared on Wednesday's Good Morning Britain, where he spoke with hosts Ranvir Singh and Ed Balls about how the news came to light. Barnes revealed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer about four years ago and had undergone surgery to remove his prostate.
“The way things happen is really strange,” Barnes said, describing himself as a “laid-back” person “about everything in life.” He explained that he had kept the diagnosis private initially to avoid worrying his elderly mother, who lived in Jamaica and whose husband had died of prostate cancer. “My father died of prostate cancer … we didn't want my mother to know so we never said anything,” he said. After his mother passed away about a year ago, Barnes said he “didn't even think about” the diagnosis.
How the News Accidentally Came Out
Barnes recounted that a few weeks ago, during a media day for the World Cup, he was in a studio with two women when the conversation turned to the cancer diagnoses of fellow football legends Kenny Dalglish and Kevin Keegan. “In the interview, they'd said, 'so what about this cancer?' and it wasn't prostate cancer with those, and I thought they were talking about me,” Barnes said. He responded by sharing his own experience: “I just went, I've had it for four years and had the operation and I'm all-clear now and I had my prostate out and everything is fine.”
Barnes added that the interviewers did not look shocked, so he assumed they were indeed referring to him. “I kind of forgot that I hadn't really said anything, but in that instance I wasn't talking about me!” he admitted. He stressed that he “never meant to” reveal it publicly, similar to Kenny Dalglish, who inadvertently disclosed his own cancer treatment via a social media post.
Positive Impact and Urging Men to Get Checked
Despite the unintended disclosure, Barnes acknowledged the positive impact it has had. “The impact it has had, it's been a great impact,” he said. He urged men to be proactive about their health, stating: “A lot of men die with prostate cancer, not from it but with it … It's important for us to do it, important for us to know and important for us to be less macho about it.”
Barnes had previously told Times Radio that he had his prostate removed, noting the taboo surrounding prostate cancer compared to breast cancer. His message now is clear: men should not hesitate to get checked.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
