Wednesday 28 September 2022 01:56 PM First Dates' Merlin Griffiths admits 'male bravado' meant he ignored his early ... trends now
First Dates star Merlin Griffiths has revealed that his 'male bravado' meant he ignored the early warning signs before he was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
The barman, 47, is currently battling a stage three tumour, which was diagnosed in September 2021, but admitted he had delayed the process by ignoring early signs of the disease for months before he saw a doctor.
Merlin's symptoms started with pain in his abdomen and radical changes to his bowel movements, but he thought it was related to scar tissue from a previous car accident, not bowel cancer.
'I managed to pull the wool over my own eyes': Merlin Griffiths admits 'male bravado' meant he ignored his early signs of bowel cancer
Common early signs of bowel cancer include a change in bowel habits and blood in the stool, bowel obstruction, abdominal pain, fatigue and weight loss.
While Merlin was aware that these were common signs he admitted: 'It was that typical male reticence thing of going - "oh I'm fine", "it's nothing really", "I'll be alright."
He added to The Sun: 'I tried to convince myself that the pain just wasn't important. I managed to pull the wool over my own eyes for a worryingly long time,' he adds.
Advising anyone with concerns npt 'be embarrassed to tackle these issues head on', he confessed: 'This could have all been avoided if I'd seen my GP when my symptoms first began.'
On Wednesday Merlin admitted the road to recovery was 'long and slow' as he spoke about his health on BBC Breakfast.
Candid: The First Dates barman, 47, is currently battling a stage three tumour, which was diagnosed in September 2021, but admitted he had ignored early signs of the disease
Asked by presenter Jon Kay how he was doing, Merlin replied: 'Very well, thank you very much. All things considered. On the road to recovery, it's long and slow but we'll get there.'
He added: 'I should have got there earlier but I did get there. I think it's very important that people follow up these symptoms. The sooner you catch it better it is for you.'
Talking about how his loved ones had dealt with the news, he explained: 'They have been a rock throughout this. Without the support of my family, what could I have done?'
Merlin, who has a seven-year-old daughter called Alix with his partner Lucille, 40, also revealed how he broke the news to his child.
'I did it very frankly and very honestly', he said. 'I think much like doctors will speak to patients. You literally have to say the truth as it is.
'I tried to sweep it under the carpet but I should have taken it more seriously. The initial checks aren't very invasive and are very easy and quick to do.'
It comes after Merlin has given fans an update on his bowel cancer treatment, revealing he recently suffered a 'minor setback' in the 'long, slow road to recovery'.
Speaking in an interview with Metro, he said: 'It's been a long, slow road to recovery. I got myself up and around [because] you're supposed to do what's called active recovery these days.
The television personality went on to say he was home six days after the initial procedure, but suffered a 'minor setback'.
He added: 'I was operated on in April, late April. That was all going well. I had a minor setback so I was in for a couple of procedures.
'So now I'm under strict surgeon's orders not to overdo it so active recovery takes a backseat. So the last six to eight weeks have been quite frustrating, largely having to cool my heels and not being able to do what I'd like to do.'
Merlin added: 'You deal with it, don't you? You keep smiling and there is light at the end of the tunnel, there always is.'
He said that doctors have told him to take it more easy on his road to recovery, as he undergoes radiotherapy treatment.
The TV star praised his First Dates co-stars, including including Fred Sirieix and Cici Coleman, for being 'brilliant' and regularly checking in on him.
In July, Merlin revealed he was undergoing more surgery, three months after a robotic operation to help treat his bowel cancer.
The star of the Channel 4 show took to Instagram to update his followers, after sharing that he was back in hospital with a 'complication' despite undergoing surgery to remove a stage-three tumour.
Merlin, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in September 2021, admitted his journey through battling the disease was proving to be 'long, painful and ugly,' but added he hoped this visit to hospital would be the 'last time for a while'.
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