Stephen Fry reveals cancer diagnosis in poignant YouTube video

In a new post on his YouTube channel, the comedian, actor, presenter and author talks through the process of discovering and assessing the disease and finally making the decision to have his prostrate remove in a procedure in January.

In his inimitable style, Fry calls the cancer "an aggressive little bugger" and admits "it's a bit of a business having an operation like that" but says that the news since the operation has been positive: "so far as we know it's all been got".

Fry has made few public or work appearances in recent months and in January announced that he would be stepping down from hosting the Bafta film awards, which he has presented 12 times.

He says in the video: "you have to recover and that's what I've been doing, in case you've been wondering why I've been out of the public eye – I'm sure you haven't! – but I have been keeping my head down as much as possible, because obviously you want to get better..."

Fry also thanks those around him, including his husband Elliott Spencer, for their support, saying "I'm bloody lucky – lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful people, lucky to have had such an incredible team working with me, and for me, and lucky of course to have an immune system, because that's the real hero of these things."

He also urges men to "get checked" for prostate cancer, before ending with a heartfelt final thought.

"Here's hoping I get another few years on this planet because I enjoy life at the moment and that's a marvellous thing to be able to say – and I would rather it didn't go away."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yDNAc8YS9c