Living with cancer, especially a terminal diagnosis, is a constant rollercoaster of emotions. Four years ago, I revealed how my kidney cancer had returned and spread to my remaining kidney – I had the other removed the first time round – as well as my lungs, spine and brain.
I never expected to still be here today. And you know what, I’m convinced that talking about having stage four cancer has helped me enormously. It’s given me back control of my life and makes me realise that all the crappy down moments I experience are normal.
It’s also brought me closer to my darling wife Nadine. We talk about my cancer – the good, bad and bloody annoying parts of it – every week on our podcast Tales of the Whales. We like to have a good laugh about it, too. It’s wonderfully therapeutic and allows me to get out of my head (yes, I know that may seem hard to believe).
So, I guess the reason I bring all of this up is because I’m sad to see so many celebrities being trolled for daring to speak publicly about their illnesses or troubles.
We saw it with King Charles and the Princess of Wales, who both shared their own cancer diagnoses in January. Both royals have shown nothing but bravery and dignity yet vile keyboard warriors couldn’t wait to tear into the pair, spewing an endless stream of nonsense, including crazy claims that they didn’t have cancer.
Depressingly, since the King has gone public with his diagnosis, I’m afraid to say I’ve been targeted by more trolls than ever for speaking up about my own illness.
First of all, don’t worry too much. I don’t mind them – in fact, I’m just pleased to see people are still listening to me! But it does worry me enormously that not everyone may cope so well in the face of constant, unrelenting hate.
And it’s stupid, because the more people that want to talk about their cancer, or whatever their illness or problem, the more help and hope it gives to other people in the same situations.
So I’d like to tell all the haters to do one. Plus, I’d like to extend my best wishes to six-time Olympic gold medal cyclist Chris Hoy, who’s been so open about his terminal prostate cancer. It makes me and all the rest of us in the world with this terrible disease feel less like outcasts.
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Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure to fire his Foreign Secretary David Lammy. He needs to, because the man is completely useless. He’s been furiously back-peddling about calling US President-elect Donald Trump – congratulations sir, I knew you would do it! – a “woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”.
Lammy called his diatribes “old news”. Well, how about Starmer kicking out his duplicitous, toadying, game-player anyway? He doesn’t deserve the job and isn’t capable of doing it. There you go Lammy. I’ve found “new news” for you.
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I can’t believe Australia is going to ban under-16s from using social media. It reeks of Big Brother control. Limiting what people can see or listen to is appalling no matter how you want to dress it up. Social media is here to stay.
We might not like it, but we need to teach children how to use it safely and wisely. Not kick the can down the road until they’re a bit older.
And has the Australian government ever heard of under-age drinkers? Because you can bet we’re going to see children resorting to their own methods to access their favourite influencers online, backed inevitably by some parents who feel sorry for them.
Remember when everybody wanted to ban young people from using mobile phones? It didn’t work. The whole idea is Dickensian. If you want to learn to live with something, you have to understand it, not hide from it.
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Sadiq Khan really is a plonker, isn’t he? As you might remember, London’s Mayor refused to apologise to Martyn Blake, the Met Police firearms officer cleared of the murder of gangster Chris Kaba. Instead he offered his “heartfelt sympathies” to Mr Kaba’s family, friends and the wider community despite a £10,000 bounty placed on the officer’s head.
Now the Met Police boss has accused people “in positions of authority” of fuelling “a dangerous narrative” as he revealed Kaba’s gang was behind 11 gun attacks and the exploitation of children in south London. We all know he means Khan.
But the mayor has been doing enough digging for himself. After Donald Trump’s victory, Khan stoked fear saying he knew Londoners were feeling “anxious” and “London is – and always will be – for everyone”.
Blah, blah, blah. Here’s the big newsflash – no one wants an endless stream of criminals, sorry migrants, coming to this country illegally. Forget the Mayor of London – he’s more like the Mayor of Mayhem.
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The shocking violence against Israeli football fans in Amsterdam last week was awful to see. It proves what the Jewish community has been telling us all along: they are not safe. This time, the pro-Palestine mob chased and attacked hundreds of Jews following clashes at a football match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax. Some Israeli supporters were so frightened they jumped into the city’s network of canals. And as I’m writing this, five people required hospital treatment for their injuries.
Amsterdam’s mayor Femke Halsema said “criminals” committed “hit-and-run attacks” in the violence that brought to mind the pogroms against Jews in Dutch and European history. It’s another thoroughly depressing chapter indeed. Especially given it was the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht on Saturday.
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Well, I was right wasn’t I? I hate to
be smug but Trump absolutely smashed his win! Congratulations to the new US president-elect. It just goes to show that you can have all the so-called luvvies you like – Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce – but celebrity endorsements are officially dead.
In fact, on behalf of everyone, we couldn’t give two dimes about you. People power is what won this election and it’s about time too!
Let’s hope the message lands on this side of the pond too.
