First Dates Bartender Merlin Griffiths Gets Released From Hospital After Bowel Cancer Surgery

First Dates barman Merlin Griffiths has been discharged from the hospital just days after undergoing surgery for bowel cancer.

The famous bartender took to Twitter to notify his fans that his surgery to remove a tumour was a success and that he had safely returned home.

He wrote: “And home again. 6 days from surgery. #NHS #davincisurgicalsystem is quite something. It's taken weeks off hospitalisation time! Road to recovery next. #cancer #bowelcancer #stoma.”

Many fans wished Griffiths a speedy recovery.

One user wrote: “Positive thoughts and best wishes to this lovely human being!”

While a third added: “Get well. It’s a slow road to recovery. I was the most impatient patient. I wish I’d known it was ok that it takes time to heal. I was just so frustrated. Heal, rest, come back stronger than ever.”

Griffiths first captured the world’s attention after serving as the bartender on the hugely successful Channel 4 dating reality show.

The king of cocktails appears in the series serving beverages and bantering with the diners while they nervously await their date.

In September last year, the reality star disclosed he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer.

He also spoke of how he revealed the devastating news to his then seven-year-old daughter Alix.

He recalled: "I said, 'Dad's got cancer'. She said, 'Is that bad, Dad?'.

"I said, 'Yes, it's very serious but I think it should be OK. Modern medicine's great and if anything changes I'll let you know'.

"She understands that people can die but I told her cancer comes in different varieties and in different ways too - and that many people come through it."

Since then, he’s kept fans updated with his road to recovery and even tweeted after his surgery last week: "Thank you #NHS for literally saving my life.”

Thank god for public health care!