Alan Davies has spoken about his cancer diagnosis and treatment to Jonathan Ross on his ITV talk show. The other guests include Katherine Ryan, Kristin Scott Thomas, Mawaan Rizwan and Sienna Spiro.

The 60-year-old star of QI and Jonathan Creek was was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2024.

He told Ross: “In 2024 I had bladder cancer. Luckily, [there was] a little bit of blood in the toilet bowl and I saw it…”

He had to have a cystoscopy procedure that he underwent in order to remove the tumour. “It’s not very nice and it’s not as bad as you think. They got it out, so phew."

He has now had the all clear and since then has returned to touring with his latest acclaimed stand-up show, Think Again, in which he looks back at his life, touching on being sexually abused by his late father, and reflects on what life is like as he hits late middle age. “I didn’t know if anyone would come,” he said to Ross. “It’s a bit like having a party. But people did come, and a lot of them had grey hair and hadn’t been out for ages.”

Life these days for Davies is as much about staying healthy as having fun: “I spend more time in the pharmacy than in the gym.”

Davies explained to the host why he was talking about difficult subjects in his show: “Let’s not have shame, let’s all talk, talk, talk. You have to make it funny – very funny before it and really funny after it. If the show was a cake, this has got all the ingredients in.  It’s a richer and better experience.”

The Jonathan Ross Show, Saturday, April 4, 10pm, ITV1.

Picture: ITV1