RADIO star Chris Stark has given an emotional health update after his testicular cancer battle – as he insisted “I’m not afraid anymore”.
The Capital DJ, 38, underwent surgery as well as chemotherapy earlier this year to prevent the cancer coming back.
8
8
8
Despite it being a scary ordeal, Chris has said the diagnosis forced him to change his mindset and he is now more determined than ever.
Chris explained that he’s prepared to throw himself into new challenges – even taking on TV shows that he’s previously swerved.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Chris said: “I think the one mentality shift I’ve had is I feel a lot less scared or bothered about things, it may be related to my job that would intimate me before.
“It wasn’t that long after that I came back to work and we did the Summertime Ball and that’s at Wembley Stadium – it’s quite a big deal stepping out at Wembley Stadium after stuffing my face with pizzas during that chemotherapy bit and maybe not feeling in your best fitness.
“But actually my whole mindset has changed in what I feel is important, which is my family and friends and the conversations that have happened around this.
“I guess my mindset is that I want to challenge myself on things and do things that perhaps I haven’t done before, but definitely not overthink my position in my job and my world or be scared of taking on challenges on other TV shows or whatever it is.
“I feel very positive about all of that.”
Chris admitted he’s set to have regular checks over the next two years as a prevention.
“I feel really lucky it was something that was found quite early, I don’t really know where it goes from here,” he said.
“I don’t feel like I have got the all clear. My understanding is I have checks every couple of months, it’s great that happens.
“And hopefully, I believe over the next two years, if nothing comes back, everything is kind of good from there on in.”
Chris admitted that he has a new lease of life after he completed his cancer treatment and has reassessed what’s important to him.
He shared: “I actually just refocused on everything that I enjoy, I’m really lucky for that, I enjoy my job. I feel what it’s done, it’s given me so much reassurance, sometimes I do my job and look around at the unbelievably talented people that I work with or worked with in the past and I’ve never quite understood my place – I’ve always felt like a bit of an imposter.
“But actually the weirdest thing about having cancer, when I saw the response, I just felt so much love. I suddenly realised I have a place here.
“Probably the one change in my job, it’s made me really believe and given me a bit more belief than I had in myself before and know that ‘go and do the radio show to the max’, ‘go and do the podcast to the max’, if these other things come along that perhaps you would have said no to, lets go do it, what’s the worst that could happen.”
JUNGLE SIGNING?
8
The much-loved presenter has also dropped a major hint that he’d follow in co-host Jordan North’s footsteps by signing up to I’m a Celeb.
He said: “I think I overthink too much, I see a lot of my friends go and do some of these amazing shows – Strictly, I’m A Celeb or these cooking shows.
“They’re all amazing things to go and do and I’ve almost been guilty in the past of talking myself out of it and actually since all of this, I’ve got a different mindset with it – which is, I know what is important in life, my friends, my family and actually I don’t feel intimidated by these things, it’s a lot more of a choice in my life.
“Jordan’s made me want to do it even more and also put me off. There’s a really interesting balance there.
“He had an unbelievable time by all accounts, equally it’s one of those things, it’s a hard to go and do.
“When he talks about the realities of the day to day of it, because obviously we see the TV show.
“But the other side of it is an incredible experience, one of my favourite shows on TV.”
Chris, who has teamed up with Ninja to inspire the nation to become the ultimate BBQ supremo this summer, said he’d even volunteer to be the camp chef – but may try to sneak in some contraband.
“And frankly someone who’s good at BBQs, I think chilling round a campfire is my natural place really,” he continued.
“I’d 100 per cent [be the camp chef].
“I’d try and smuggle in a large array of rubs that you put on chicken, I love the idea of trying to see some of that in.
“But I don’t think it would work if you say you’re going to do it before.
“I think for I’m A Celeb, if you ever talk about what scares you, they really hone in on that.
“People don’t know this about me so much but I’m really health and safety – anything with heights, rats, the worst is the food, the eating challenges, I always pretend I’m good at downing a pint, I get three quarters through and start panicking.
“I’ve never turned anything down, I’ve had the conversation a couple of times, I think when the times right, the times right.
“I think with those shows, what an unbelievable experience, we’ll see.”
CO-HOSTS SUPPORT
8
The DJ went on to thank his co-stars Sian Welby and Jordan North for their support during some of the toughest months of his life.
He said: “I’ve not really said thank you to them [Sian and Jordan] properly. I can’t thank them enough for what they did around that time because they knew about it for quite a few weeks and I said I didn’t want to talk about it on the show and I didn’t want to burden people putting on our show, we’re meant to be cheering people up and entertaining people and being a bit of an escapism.
“Jordan and Sian throughout that time were so supportive but without ever overdoing it, they just let me go into the radio everyday and I could almost forget about it for a bit.
“That’s why when I had the operation, I came back way before I should have.
“They all told me to take another week and I went back and admittedly I really want to apologise to Sian and Jordan and my bosses because I’m almost certain I was high on my first day back because of the medication and maybe I was just giddy to be there.
“I then had the chemotherapy and the guys were so brilliant, they let me come back when I wanted. They made it so easy.
“Throughout that whole time they looked out for my family.
“The thing is with that show, I’ve obviously known Jordan for a few years and I’ve not known Sian as long, but I’m proud of those guys in the way we were able to talk about those issues and what we did on air.
“I would really just like to thank them, I never have properly, I would do the same for them and I like to think that they’d know that. It’s really bonded us all and I’ll never forget that.”
Chris said he’s currently not experiencing any side effects from his chemo and is ready for new
“I can’t say I’ve got an side effects but I also thought at the time I went back to work I was perfectly fine and I look back on that time and I was still feeling it a bit,” he told us.
“I think the main side effects is just wanting to get back to normality and get back to work. I love being on the radio everyday and doing the pod – the idea of getting back to that as quickly as possible is kind of the most important drive.”
CAPITAL FUTURE
8
Chris admitted he’s only just getting started when it comes to Capital radio and has no plans of leaving anytime soon.
“As far as I’m concerned, the show is doing brilliantly, the numbers are better than we could even hope for, and just away from that it feels really good, we’re having a great time with it, I love Capital, I was such a fan of it growing up,” Chris said.
“I just think there’s a real buzz around the show – Capital have just been unbelievable in how they’ve supported me and their ambitions for the show.
“I think we’ll look back on this particular time as a real Golden era for the breakfast show and I just want to make the most of it and really enjoy it and just continue learning radio and I really hope we’re making radio that makes people happy.”
Chris said he’s also been overwhelmed from the support from fans and listeners – insisting he wanted to speak out his diagnosis in a bid to push the conversation around testicular cancer.
He added: “I feel good, I feel very surprised at the kind of warmth I’ve received. I kind of think you forget how lovely people can be.
“I feel really humbled by the response that talking about this issue and the feedback I’ve had from lads predominately that are going through it themselves.
“On reflection, I feel really proud that I talked about it because I’m really pleased to be part of those conversations, people feel they can reach out to me and send me a little message.
“I think at a time where blokes can see a lot of negative representation of males on the news and TV, and rightly so, it’s just been really nice to witness the best of brotherhood and blokes sticking together around this topic.
“I actually feel really galvanized by it, It’s just really surprised me the warmth, the understand and love and mainly blokes that have reached out to me and asked if there was ‘anything they could do’.
“There is so much crap online and everything weighs you down, it’s nice to see a positive reflection of the good when blokes stick together.
“But I just hope people see this and go and check themselves, I’m more bothered about everyone else and me talking about this has the maximum good it can do.”
Chris partnered with Ninja to inspire the nation to enjoy a summer of BBQ.
Ninja also commissioned research into the BBQ battles that happen within homes across the UK, with a shocking 40 per cent have never even used their BBQ as someone else always takes over.
Self-proclaimed BBQ hogger Chris said: “It’s something I got into four years ago, it came from a place after someone suggested I could do more than burgers and sausages.
“I’m the person who now obsesses over it and watch YouTube videos of all these deep south American BBQ recipes.
“I get messages from so many blokes who want to get into BBQing, maybe just be challenging yourself than doing the normal basics that make you feel like a better chef.
“It’s a really good hobby to get into or a sport if you’re comeptitive.
“What’s really cool about what Ninja are doing is they come up with simple recipes that people can do more with a BBQ.”
You can find out more about the Ninja outdoors range on the Ninja website here.
8
8
