Comedian and former Taskmaster star Richard Herring has announced he has been diagnosed with cancer for the second time, this time with an incurable form of blood cancer. The comedian shared the news with his Substack followers, revealing that the new diagnosis is unrelated to his previous testicular cancer.
Second Cancer Diagnosis
In a post to his subscribers, Herring wrote: "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 continued: "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."
Despite the alarming nature of the diagnosis, Herring was quick to reassure his followers that while the condition cannot be cured, it can be managed with treatment. "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.
Treatment and Outlook
Herring explained that the diagnosis had been a long time coming. "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 revealed that he had "sort of forgotten about it" until his recent conversation with doctors.
He went on to describe his first chemotherapy session and his dealings with the NHS, reassuring supporters that there were "no immediate problems." Herring also confirmed that the blood cancer was not linked to his previous testicular cancer, joking: "It's not linked to the testicular cancer. Someone up there just doesn't like me. But they don't hate me that much."
Career Highlights
Richard Herring is widely recognised for his stand-up performances and his appearances on television. In 2020, he competed in and won the tenth series of Taskmaster, and later triumphed in the second "Champion of Champions" special. He has written and performed fourteen one-man shows, co-authored the sitcom Time Gentlemen Please, and appeared on programmes such as Have I Got News For You and The Great Celebrity Pottery Throwdown.
Herring maintains a strong following on Substack, where he frequently publishes content and personal updates. Despite his diagnosis, he retains his characteristic humour, writing: "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."
