A STAR Wars actor has teamed up with a charity to raise awareness after his father, who starred on The Goon Show, died of prostate cancer.
Brighton actor Andy Secombe lost his father, the entertainer Sir Harry Secombe, to prostate cancer.
Andy, 68, most famous as the voice of Watto in Star Wars, shared his own brush with the disease, while also hailing his legendary and “trailblazing” father.
Prostate Cancer UK has teamed up with celebrity sons who lost their fathers to the disease to discuss the impact of the disease for a film series.
The charity is releasing the new series called The Sit Down ahead of Father’s Day to raise funds for research into the most common cancer in men.
Andy was only in his forties when Harry passed away, but knowing that his father’s diagnosis put him at higher risk, he decided to have regular tests.
A test five years ago led to Andy’s own diagnosis of prostate cancer. Fortunately, he was able to have surgery, and has now been cancer-free for five years.
He said: “When my dad had prostate cancer, because he was quite a well-known figure, he was all over the place.
“He was a very private man, but this was bigger than that and he thought it was very important to talk about it and get the message out there.
“This was the 90s, at a time when people really weren't talking about prostate cancer.
“In that way, he was a bit of a trailblazer, because It was one of those taboo things you just didn't mention.
“But he thought it was important to get the message out – that it wasn't necessarily a death sentence and it could be curable.
“Men live with prostate cancer for years and years and years, or they do something about it.”
Andy sat down with former Coronation Street star Ken Morley and The Who and Small Faces drummer Kenney Jones to discuss their own prostate cancer journeys
Broadcaster Dr David Bull, comedian Fred MacAulay, and property expert Kunle Barker also open up about their fathers’ experience in another episode.
More than 47,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. But these cases can often be treated successfully if caught early enough.
With films like The Sit Down, Prostate Cancer UK aims to raise awareness of the disease and vital funds for lifesaving research to help diagnose prostate cancer earlier.
To watch The Sit Down and find out more about Prostate Cancer UK's work this Father's Day visit: https://prostatecanceruk.org/thesitdown
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