Rhod Gilbert reveals he's still suffering long-term effects of cancer in health update

Rhod Gilbert has shared a health update following his cancer battle.

The 56-year-old comedian was diagnosed with Stage 4 head and neck cancer back in 2022, but thankfully received the all-clear in October last year.

Rhod, who documented his battle in a Channel 4 documentary, underwent surgery for metastatic cancer of the head and neck, followed by sessions of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Gilbert was diagnosed with head and neck cancer in 2022 (Facebook/Rhod Gilbert)

He received his first all-clear scan in October 2023 following his successful course of treatment at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff.

However, Rhod has now opened up about his health, admitting he still isn't back to normal and suffers from symptoms, including his sense of taste being altered.

Speaking to the Mirror, the comedian explained: "With head and neck cancer, quite often, everything tastes disgusting, even water, even a cup of tea, everything is disgusting."

While most things are back to tasting normal for Rhod and he can swallow again, he said a cup of tea still tastes 'odd' to him following his treatment.

"I'm still left with some problems, so tea still tastes a bit odd, lots of things taste weird still. My taste is almost, sort of 80 per cent back to normal, my swallowing is pretty good, but at the time, you can't swallow and everything tastes disgusting," he added.

Since his cancer diagnosis, Rhod has cut down on booze and continues not to smoke after kicking the habit years ago.

After being diagnosed with cancer, Rhod cut down on booze and continues to refrain from smoking, having kicked the habit many years ago.

Reflecting on his new lifestyle, the TV and radio star said: "I guess I'm a bit more conscious now than what I was, but equally, cancer leaves you in this weird place where you want to grab life by the short and curlies."

The comedian opened up about his health (Alamy / PA Images)

Rhod's health update comes after he revealed the sad news that two people close to him had died of cancer, just months after he received the news, he was all clear.

The comedian found out one of his friends had passed away from terminal cancer during the interval at one of his stand-up comedy gigs in Halifax. Rhod said he received a text simply stating his pal had "gone" while checking his phone at the gig.

The tragic news was then shortly followed by the passing of a different friend's father, who also died of cancer.