My Uncle Nicky fell victim to prostate cancer ...I won't go the same way

Speaking to mark the start of Men's Health Week today, Countryfile star Adam Henson urges others to test for England's most common cancer after his TV and film star relative was robbed of his life by the cruel disease

- Karen Rockett

COUNTRYFILE presenter Adam Henson has just checked his blood test results on the NHS app. The 59-year-old broadcaster and farmer, who manages a 650-hectare farm in the Cotswolds, recently booked himself in for a "Well Man" check at his local GPs surgery.

"Farmers are terrible at looking after themselves," he admits with a shrug. "They're so busy looking after sick cows or sheep or crops that are struggling, their own health is way down the list - they're just too busy or they forget.

"Lunch is a white-bread ham sandwich and a can of Red Bull on the go. Many just have that male mindset of not making a fuss, wearing it like a badge of honour."

But Adam had a special reason to keep an eye on his PSA (prostate-specific antigen, which is a marker of prostate cancer). His uncle, the TV and film actor Nicky Henson best known for roles in EastEnders, Coronation Street and Downton Abbey, as well for being "the psychiatrist" in Fawlty Towers lost his life to the disease in 2019 when he was 74.

Thankfully, Adam's results are clear, to his obvious relief.

The dad of two admits: "I hadn't exactly been having sleepless nights but I did feel elated when the results came back."

And no wonder. The disease is now England's most common cancer with a 25% increase in cases between 2019 and 2023. Currently, one in eight men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The risks are even higher if you are over 50, have a family history of the disease or you're black. For the latter, the risk of developing the disease doubles to one in four.

NHS data shows the number of prostate cancer diagnoses has been higher than breast cancer for two years in a row following a surge in cases post-pandemic.

Adam is speaking to the Daily Express on behalf of the Prostate Cancer UK charity, ahead of Men's Health Week which starts today and ends on Father's Day on Sunday.