Tommy Cannon prostate cancer diagnosis Oldham comedian

Tommy Cannon, the beloved Oldham comedian who rose to fame as half of Cannon and Ball, has revealed he's been living with prostate cancer for over 20 years. The 87-year-old, who still performs across the country, says he was 'frightened to death' when he received his diagnosis in his 50s but credits early detection and ongoing monitoring for his continued good health.

Cannon, who met Bobby Ball when they worked as welders in the same Oldham factory in the 1960s, is now working with Prostate Cancer UK to raise awareness about the condition. He urges all men over 50 to get tested, calling it 'life-saving' and saying early detection can stop cancer before it becomes serious.

The entertainer has been on active surveillance since his diagnosis, with his levels remaining under the threshold for treatment. 'Luckily for me, the levels have been under the radar for treatment for all these years,' he said. 'I'm now 87 and I'm feeling good.

Throughout his journey, Cannon has praised his wife Hazel as 'amazing' and 'supportive', saying her strength has meant 'everything' to him. Despite the diagnosis being 'in the back of my mind', he rarely thinks about it and continues working as an entertainer, performing in clubs, theatres and on cruises across the country.

Cannon's story carries particular weight in Oldham, where he and Ball first found fame on Opportunity Knocks in 1968 before their ITV show ran for nearly a decade. With prostate cancer being the most common cancer in men, his message about early testing could save lives in our community.