Gordon Ramsay has revealed he has undergone surgery to remove skin cancer.
The TV chef, 58, shared pictures of his bandaged and stitched-up face on Instagram on Saturday and revealed he underwent an operation to remove Basal Cell Carcinoma, a form of non-melanoma.
He captioned the post: ‘Grateful and so appreciative for the incredible team at The Skin Associates and their fast reactive work on removing this Basal Cell Carcinoma thank you !’
He continued, reminding followers to wear sunscreen and joking that he promises the surgery wasn’t cosmetic: ‘Please don’t forget your sunscreen this weekend ❤️I promise you it’s not a face lift! I’d need a refund…….😜’
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer, which develops in the top layer of the skin. They usually grow slowly, and they rarely spread to other parts of the body.
As per the NHS, Basal cell carcinomas can occur anywhere on the body but are most common in areas that are frequently exposed to the sun.
Gordon’s post was quickly flooded with supportive messages from friends, fans and celebrity pals alike. Many praised the chef for using his platform to highlight the importance of sun safety, particularly in the wake of recent debates around SPF.
One follower commented: ‘So important to share things like this, slap on a hat, suncream and seek shade, happy healing, well done to the amazing people who work in healthcare who do amazing work like this ❤️.’
Cancer Research UK also weighed in, thanking Gordon for raising awareness. ‘Glad to hear you’re doing well, Gordon, and thanks for raising awareness of how important it is to stay safe in the sun ❤️ Seek shade, cover up, and apply sunscreen regularly and generously ☀️,’ the charity wrote.
This latest health scare comes after Ramsay revealed last year that he nearly died after crashing while cycling in the US state of Connecticut while on holiday with family and friends.
Sharing before and after photos, he showed how his helmet and cycling gear had been badly damaged in the accident, with the front of his helmet almost completely crushed.
The left side of his body was covered in horrendous bruising after damaging his ribcage, saying that he was ‘lucky to be here’ after showing his injury to fans.
He told Men’s Health: ‘I couldn’t even put my f**king socks and pants on. [My assistant, Justin], he used to dress me in the morning. I felt like a f**king 95-year-old man. Asking a 30-year-old kid to put my f**king underpants on was embarrassing.’
Despite not breaking any bones during the accident, he still had great difficulty moving and carrying on with his day-to-day life, saying that the week after the crash was ‘brutal’.
He told fans: ‘I’m lucky to be standing here. I am in pain, it’s been a brutal week. I’m sort of getting through it, but I cannot tell you the importance of wearing a helmet.’
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.