Nick Owen cancer diagnosis: BBC news presenter says it was ‘worst day of his life’

BBC TV presenter Nick Owen has revealed his prostate cancer diagnosis. The broadcaster described the ‘grim moment’ he received the news, describing the day as the ‘worst of his life’.

The 75-year-old has recently been absent from his post as presenter on BBC’s local news show, Midlands Today. On Monday, he opened up to viewers about the aftermath and impact of the illness on his life.

He said: “I went to a specialist, he wasn’t too worried because my figures weren’t that high.

“But he decided I ought to have a scan, and then the scan said there’s something dodgy going on, and then he sent me for a biopsy, which he did.

“And the results of that were the killer – on April the 13th, a date (which) will forever be imprinted on my mind.

Owen claims his doctor has described the diagnosis as ‘extensive and aggressive’ and told the broadcaster to act ‘fast’. He said:“It was a very grim moment… driving home after that sort of news and ringing people, texting people, my phone went crazy for hours on end.

“That was probably the worst day of my life, or certainly one of them,” he added.

The former chairman of Luton Town Football Club is known for his broadcasting collaboration with journalist Anne Diamond – along with their stint on TV-am, they had their own current affairs morning programme on the BBC in the 1990s, Good Morning With Anne And Nick.

Nick Owen wife

Owen is being supported by his wife Vicki Beevers, who he married in July 2020. The presenter was previously married to Jill Lavery, with whom he has four children.

Owen also revealed he has undergone surgery and plans to go back to work in the autumn for the BBC. He said: “It has been a very tricky time and it all came out of the blue… I was told that it was pretty serious and (I) had to do something about it soon.

“So, almost immediately, I came off work and had an operation and hopefully (I’m) through it now, here I am.”

Nick has been one of the lead presenters on Midlands Today since 1997. A BBC spokesman said: “Nick has been one of the faces of Midlands Today for more than 25 years. Our viewers and his colleagues have missed him dearly in recent weeks.

“We can’t wait to welcome him back to the studio as soon as he’s ready. We all wish him a speedy recovery.”

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK – one in eight men will get prostate cancer at some point in their lives and more than 52,000 new cases are diagnosed every year.

According to the NHS, it mainly affects men over 50 and the risk increases with age. It is more common in black men or men with with a family history of prostate cancer.