Noddy Holder gives first interview after revealing he was given 'six months to live' in 2018

Noddy Holder has spoken out about having cancer, five years after being given just 'six months to live.'

The Slade frontman — famed for the iconic 'It's Christmas' line at the start of 'Merry Xmas Everybody' — was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer five years ago.

He was told by doctors that his only chance of survival was to take part in a clinical trial for a new type of chemotherapy.

Terrifyingly for the 77-year-old, the treatment had never been tried on somebody over the age of 60 before.

Earlier today, Noddy appeared on Channel 5's Jeremy Vine with his TV producer wife Suzan, where they spoke about his experience with cancer.

“I was more worried for my family, how they were going to react, than I was for myself really," Noddy said.

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Speaking about the moment they found out the news, Suzan said she 'fell apart.'

Noddy recalled: "I went to the Christie hospital in Manchester, and I said 'Is it six months? Is that the end of the line?'"

The doctor told him the only other option would be to trial a new type of intense chemotherapy.

Despite his fear, Noddy decided to go ahead with the trial. After doctors told him more about the treatment, he said he wanted to 'give it a go.'

He has since been receiving the 'hard going' treatment at Manchester's Christie hospital.

Suzan spoke of her relief that he went ahead with it.

"And thank goodness he did," she said. "It's a targeted chemotherapy now, they are able to do that and every single person reacts differently."

Noddy added: "It was hard going, very hard going. But five years later I’m still standing."

Jeremy Vine on 5/X

Suzan, who married Noddy in 2004, explained: "Anyone will know who's been through a cancer diagnosis, there are lots of moments in small windowless rooms of people shaking their heads going 'I'm really sorry, but there's nothing', and that's what we were told.

"So for him to be here now five years later is incredible. It's not where we thought we were going to be, but it's brilliant."

Noddy also explained to host Alexis Conran why he didn't tell anyone about the diagnosis at the time.

"I wanted to keep it quiet because while I was going through the treatment and getting fit again - your resistance is low, really low after the treatment," he explained.

"I didn't want to be getting calls from the media every five minutes, or people I haven't seen for 25 years. I didn't want the attention, I wanted to deal with it in my own way."

Now, Noddy is speaking out to raise awareness of oesophageal cancer, which affects 9,300 people in the UK each year and accounts for five percent of all cancer deaths, according to Cancer Research UK.