A man diagnosed with the same cancer as Jeremy Clarkson has spoken out about a symptom he dismissed for an entire year. Jeff Titmarsh, 67, from Stratford-on-Avon, was urinating up to 12 times a day — a recognised symptom of prostate cancer — yet attributed it simply to getting older.
Ignored warning signs
The painter and decorator was otherwise in good health, until a pair of retired doctors whose home he was decorating urged him to seek medical advice due to his frequent bathroom visits. He subsequently was diagnosed with prostate cancer, mirroring the experience of the TV legend. Father-of-two Jeff brushed off the frequent toilet trips for a full year before finally receiving his diagnosis.
Diagnosis and treatment
Although initially told the cancer was incurable, Jeff responded positively to treatment and is now in remission. He said: "Clarkson has his girlfriend Lisa, and a good family and friend network around him, which is good. But it'll always be a shock - nobody wants the dreaded 'c word'. Whether you have £1 or £1million in the bank, it can happen to you."
Jeff began noticing around 2023 that he was visiting the toilet more frequently — "easily once an hour" — and on occasion didn't make it there in time. It wasn't until he was decorating a property in May 2024 that he finally decided to act. He said: "The clients asked and I described my symptoms - and they recommended I get checked."
Following a blood test, he was referred for an MRI scan. Jeff underwent chemotherapy and hormone tablets after discovering the cancer was at stage four and had spread to his bones. He now requires blood tests every two months alongside daily hormone medication.
Raising awareness
He said: "I caught it quite late, but not too late thankfully. If the chemo hadn't worked, it would have been curtains for me. Going to the loo more was the only symptom I had but I ignored it for a year. The doctors I was working for gave me the boot up the backside to get it checked out. My message is get checked out as soon as possible."
Jeff is now working to raise awareness of the symptoms of the cancer, which affects one in eight men throughout their lifetime. He is currently training for Sir Chris Hoy's Tour de 4 charity cycling event in September, in support of Prostate Cancer Research. He said: "In a way, it's people like Sir Chris Hoy and Jeremy Clarkson sharing their stories that can elevate awareness of it."
