Downton Abbey star reveals long-term cancer battle

Former Downton Abbey actor Nicky Henson has revealed that he has been battling cancer for over 18 years, in a candid new essay.

Writing in the Mirror, the 73-year-old shared that his battle with disease began on Christmas Day in 2000, after experiencing 'terrible stomach pains'.

The actor, who has also starred in Eastenders and Fawlty Towers, was rushed to hospital by his wife Marguerite, before being given the devastating news a day later.

'I had a large tumour. They didn’t know what it was and were going to have to operate.'

But it seems the actor who starred in hit ITV show Downton as Charlie Crigg - a stage performer who starred with character Charles Carson - is determined to maintain a positive attitude.

He said, 'I rang my wife, who came in and I said to her, ‘We mustn’t feel sorry for ourselves, we’re going to sort this out’. The next morning I woke up and all the fear had gone.'

Nicky also shared how he made his cancer fight his sole focus.

'My brain just went, 'Right, I’m 57 years old, I don’t care if I never work again, this is my new job now, pointing at my stomach’. That’s how it’s been ever since, even if it did come as a shock as I wasn’t used to being ill.'

Nicky, who has three children with actress Una Stubbs, went on to share how his cancer returned twice again over the last 18 years. Most recently, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer 10 years ago, which is still proving tricky to this day.

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He shared, 'Eventually my urethra was worn out so I have a stent now, which has to be replaced every five to six months.'

However, the actor has stayed hugely positive, thanks to the support of his family.

'It's amazing what they can do now. When my generation heard the 'c' word we thought that's it.

'My three sons looked it all up on the internet and said, 'Listen dad, it's not like the old days - you'll be alright.' And I have been for 18 years.'

He concluded his remarkably candid essay by sharing that he accepts cancer as "part of [his] life" now, and will continue to enjoy life as much as he can.

'I've been fighting cancer for 18 years now so it's just part of my life. Whatever happens, happens. It's not so much fighting it, it's keeping a sense of humour.

'I swim half a mile every day but I’ve always done that. I haven’t smoked for about 45 years, but I drink alcohol and I’m not going to stop having a good time.

'If I’m going to be here, you need to enjoy it! I consider myself a very lucky person.”