Louis Walsh revealed he was diagnosed with a ‘rare’ type of cancer in 2020 as he spoke about the major health scare for the first time on Friday.
The former X Factor star, 71, revealed he had Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia a rare type of blood cancer but has since been given the all clear after receiving treatment in Dublin.
Discussing his health with Levi and Ekin-Su on Celebrity Big Brother he told the pair that ‘no one knew he was sick’.
Levi asked how Louis spent the Coronavirus lockdown, he replied: ‘I was sick, and I think nobody knew I was sick. I had cancer. A mild version, a rare one.’
Levi asked: ‘Which part? Pancreatic Cancer?’
Louis Walsh revealed he was diagnosed with a ‘rare’ type of cancer in 2020 as he opened up about the major health scare for the first time on Friday
The former X Factor star, 71, revealed he had Waldenstroms Macroglobulinemia a rare type of blood cancer but has since been given the all clear after receiving treatment in Dublin
‘In my blood, I didn’t even know that I had it until I went to the hospital, and then they checked me, checked me, checked me, then they found it.
‘They said it’s a rare one, and I said [shrugs] gone. Gone’, replied Louis.
The music manager admitted being diagnosed with cancer left him in ‘shock’ and gave him a ‘reality check’.
He continued: ‘It did affect me mentally, I got to be honest with you. [Points to his head] it’s just up here, even when I go past a hospital I almost get sick.
‘It’s all gone, I’m fine. It was just the shock of being sick and that word…nobody wants that word.
‘I have it blocked out, a reality check, you see so many people sick and it’s terrible.
‘In my world it was all about pop music and all that. I didn’t think of anybody getting sick or anything like that. And that was like wow reality check, you’re in the real world.’
Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia (also known as lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma) is a rare form of low-grade lymphoma (a type of bone marrow cancer), which is associated in most cases with the presence of an excessive amount of abnormal protein in the blood.
Before entering the house, Louis revealed he had signed-up to the ITV show to have fun after attending two recent funerals for friends that gave him a reality check about his own mortality.
Louis said: ‘I was sick, and I think nobody knew I was sick. I had cancer. A mild version, a rare one in my blood, I didn’t even know that I had it until I went to the hospital’
The music manager, who said his cancer is now ‘gone’, admitted being diagnosed left him in ‘shock’ and gave him a ‘reality check’ as it really affected him mentally
He told the Mirror: ‘I don’t want to be in my final chapter, I want to live. I want to enjoy myself. I don’t want to die. But then it makes sense that you get to this age and think, why not? Life’s too short.
‘I’ve lost some people in my life recently and that changes you. I went to two funerals. Yeah, It’s a reality check, for sure. It makes you think about what life is all about. It makes you rethink what’s important and what you care about. Losing friends makes you think about your own mortality.
‘I want to enjoy myself more. I want to see the world. Everywhere. I don’t have a bucket list. I don’t like that word. I just want to see the rest of the world. I just want to enjoy life – live, love and laugh. I don’t want to be older and think if only I had done that. I don’t want to do that no. There’s no time for regrets. I’m happy. I’m honestly happy at the moment and this has given me an extra nudge to go and enjoy life even more.’
It comes after viewers were left furious when Louis ordered Nikita Kuzmin to ‘stop crying’ in tense scenes on Thursday night.
Louis scolded the Strictly star, 26, during the shocking face-to-face nominations, when the latter began crying while voting for the former.
The housemates were ordered to kiss the co-star they nominated – and when a sobbing Nikita approached Louis after saying he was lazy around the house, the septuagenarian spat: ‘Stop crying for God’s sake’.
Nikita – who stated: ‘I don’t think Louis has helped around the house as much as everyone else has, that’s my reason’, before Louis’ slur – has scored legions of fans since entering the house, many of whom swarmed Twitter after the moment.
Angry fans penned: ‘LOUIS TELLING NIKITA TO “STOP CRYING FOR GOD’S SAKE” YOU ARE A BITTER EMOTIONLESS OLD MAN LEAVE MY BABY ALONE… @kuzmin__nikita is so pure Louis is vile we must protect nikita at all cost!!!…’
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CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER 2024: MEET THE LINEUP
SHARON OSBOURNE
AGE: 71
FAMOUS FOR: Being a member of the Osbourne family, married to rock legend husband Ozzy as well as being a judge on The X Factor.
GARY GOLDSMITH
AGE: 58
FAMOUS FOR: Being Kate Middleton’s ‘black sheep’ uncle.
EKIN-SU CULCULOGLU
AGE: 29
FAMOUS FOR: Winning Love Island in 2022
COLSON SMITH
AGE: 25
FAMOUS FOR: Playing Craig Tinker in Coronation Street
FERN BRITTON
AGE: 66
FAMOUS FOR: Nineties TV sensation, and acting as Phillip Schofield’s This Morning sidekick.
BRADLEY RICHES
AGE: 22
FAMOUS FOR: Starring in Netflix’s Heartstopper
MARISHA WALLACE
AGE: 38
FAMOUS FOR: Broadway actress and singer, with roles in Dreamgirls and Aladdin
LOUIS WALSH
AGE: 71
FAMOUS FOR: His stint as an X Factor judge following a prestigious career as a music manager to bands like Westlife and Boyzone.
DAVID POTTS
AGE: 30
FAMOUS FOR: Ibiza Weekender
ZEZE MILLZ
AGE: 35
FAMOUS FOR: Social media star
LAUREN SIMON
AGE: 47
FAMOUS FOR: The Real Housewives of Cheshire
LEVI ROOTS
AGE: 65
FAMOUS FOR: One of Dragons’s Den’s biggest success stories.
NIKITA KUZMIN
AGE: 26
FAMOUS FOR: Being a professional on Strictly Come Dancing
