John Pienaar reveals prostate cancer battle
Times Radio presenter John Pienaar has disclosed that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year before being successfully treated for the disease.
John Pienaar battled prostate cancer.
The 69-year-old journalist has revealed that he was diagnosed with the disease last year before being successfully treated and given the all clear earlier this year, after a study found that routine screening for prostate cancer could save thousands of male lives.
Speaking on his Times Radio Drive show on Thursday (30.10.25), John said: "Massive evidence has landed showing routine screening of all men over 50 with prostate cancer would save lives in Britain - thousands of lives.
"That's seriously good news if it leads to change in NHS policy and a national screening programme. And I'm not just saying that because one of the lives that may well have been saved by screening happens to be mine.
"I come to think of it, the fact I'm sitting here and not worried about the cancer doctors found in my prostate earlier last year, which they told me was gone - not just in remission but cured earlier this year.
"But it's rather persuaded me that early screening for men like me is a very, very good idea."
Pienaar explained how he was quickly reassured by his doctor that his diagnosis wasn't deadly and described how the treatment was "rather less of an ordeal" than he was expecting.
The former BBC political reporter said: "I haven't, incidentally, discussed my own case on air before now or, for that matter, with many people anywhere. But today seems a good time to share a bit about my own experience of early diagnosis of prostate cancer and early treatment, which turned out to be, well, rather less of an ordeal than I am guessing a lot of men on radiotherapy, drugs or after surgery, vaguely imagined beforehand.
"One of the first things I said in that consulting room when the medic gave me the news was, 'Well, if this is going to kill me' - and he quickly interrupted me and said, 'This isn't going to kill you.'
"And it sounded, as if to him, that was obvious, which to him it absolutely was. And after that moment, everything that came afterwards somehow felt easier."
John added: "I didn't actually have my prostate removed, I had daily radiotherapy for a few weeks and hormone pills for a few months. And I'd have happily lived without either one of those. But none of it was really a big deal I felt in my case.
"I did at one point, by the way, ask my producer Sandra to forgive me in advance - she was one of the people I told - if I seem grumpy than usual around the office. Maybe she thought I was just grumpy anyway, that's just what I'm like."
