Rhod Gilbert: Comedian 'pinching himself' over return to stage two years after devastating cancer diagnosis

Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert has opened up about his joy at returning to the stage two years after he was diagnosed with cancer. During The One Show on Monday evening (April 29), the stand-up spoke about his experience of receiving a stage four diagnosis for head and neck cancer. Gilbert, 64, was diagnosed on 2022, but received the all-clear in October 2023 following months of intensive treatment.

The Taskmaster star told the BBC show that he was “still all-clear” from the cancer, but continued to receive treatment and regular check-ups. He said: "I feel wonderful. I've got lots of issues that I may or may not have for the rest of my life, who knows. Who cares! I'm here, I'm good and every night, I'm on stage pinching myself that I'm doing this. That I'm on stage performing just now two years after being diagnosed. It's amazing."

He is back out on the road with his newest show ‘Rhod Gilbert & The Giant Grapefruit’, which is inspired by his illness. The ‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks’ presenter is currently halfway through the tour, which counts more than 100 dates.

He said of the tour: "[The title is] partly a nod to James and the Giant Peach. Grapefruit, partly a nod to the tumour that was in my neck, and partly the thing of when life gives you lemons you make lemonade. Well, this is what to do when life starts throwing grapefruits at you, which is even worse in my opinion. But it's a happy show, it's an uplifting show."

Gilbert delighted fans with an appearance on The Great British Bake Off’s Stand Up To Cancer celebrity special. With a personal link to the charity cause, viewers watched the Channel 4 show as he opened up about his “emotional” appearance.

He said on the show: "For me, it's really, really emotional to be here. There was a point where I didn't really know what the future held. Just to be here, to be anywhere, is pretty good. Amazing. I'm lucky to be here at all. I realised when I got cancer that I had been plodding through life thinking 'other people get cancer'."