TV chef Tim Bilton has provided an update on his stage 4 cancer diagnosis following a 13-year battle with the disease.
The 54-year-old chef, who has appeared on the BBC’s Great British Menu and Channel 5’s On the Farm, was diagnosed with a rare type of melanoma in 2013 after his wife Adele spotted an unusual shadow in his eye.
At the time, Tim was preparing to open his second restaurant and aiming for a Michelin star.
In 2019 he was then told that the disease had returned as stage four cancer and was considered terminal despite having years of treatment.
Yesterday, however, Tim shared in an emotional social media post that his cancer is now dormant.
Sharing an image of himself hugging Adele, Tim wrote on Instagram: ‘My stage 4 cancer is dormant.’
Tim also paid tribute to Adele, who supported him through his diagnosis, as well as his sons Henry and Charlie.
‘If you’re reading this, there is still hope… so hope really did carry us through,’ he added.
Thanking his oncologist, the TV star continued: ‘Thank you to my amazing oncologist who has never given up on me, even on the days when my body and mind had.
‘Today we had an emotional phone call to say all my recent scans are clear and my stage 4 cancer is dormant. 13 years on and I have been signed off… it’s over for now.’
In Tim’s post, the chef described the past 13 years as being ‘utter rubbish’ and said that his body has been ‘to hell and back’.
‘To be honest, I’m not the man I was before my diagnosis,’ he wrote.
‘I don’t look the same, I don’t talk the same, I can’t eat the things I use to love, my taste buds aren’t what they we’re, my jaw and knee are buggered… I could go on.
‘But more importantly I’m still here and have been able to see my boys grow.
‘Cancer has been cruel yes 100% but I can honestly say it’s made me a better man.’
Towards the bottom of his message, Tim said he feels ‘grateful, scared [and] emotional’.
Taking to the comments sections, messages of support have flooded in from fans and friends, including Helen Skelton who he worked with for the show On The Farm.
She said: ‘Wonderful news for a wonderful man,’ while adding four love hearts.
Macmillan cancer support
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information.
You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.