Man who has same cancer as Jeremy Clarkson reveals warning signs he ignored for a year
A man who suffered from the same form of cancer as Jeremy Clarkson has told how he brushed off the 'most common symptom' for an entire year.
Amid the TV star announcing that he was diagnosed with an 'aggressive' form of the disease back in May, a lot of blokes have been taking stock of their own health.
That's why painter and decorator Jeff Titmarsh, 67, is speaking out about the signs of prostate cancer which fellas often overlook - as he spent 12 months doing exactly that.
In the seventh episode of his hit show Clarkson’s Farm, 66-year-old Clarkson revealed that he had received the news he had prostate cancer after undergoing a biopsy earlier this year.
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While chatting with Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland, the Top Gear legend explained that doctors had thankfully caught it 'really early', so he was optimistic about his treatment going well.
He had warned fans that the episode would be a 'difficult watch' prior to it airing on Prime Video.
Fans saw footage of Clarkson in hospital and watched him explain that some of his treatment had 'gone awry'. Thankfully, he said he was 'feeling good' by the time he had been discharged.
He had part of his prostate removed to tackle the cancer and said medics informed him 'they won’t know if it’s worked or not until November'.
According to Cancer Research UK, there are around 57,900 new prostate cancer cases in the UK every year - which works out at around 160 every day.
Titmarsh became a part of these statistics back in May 2024, after he finally went to get himself checked out by a medical professional one year after he first developed a prominent symptom.
He was nipping to the loo up to 12 times a day to urinate - but believed it was simply down to him getting older, as he was otherwise fit and healthy.
The grandfather-of-four said he had 'been peeing for England' for around 12 months, but 'ignored it' until one of his clients suggested he should visit his GP.
"I was doing some external paintwork for these [retired] doctors and I had to come down the scaffolding whenever I needed the loo, so they always saw me," Titmarsh said.
"They asked about it and recommended I go to my GP. Going to the loo more was the only symptom I had, but I ignored it for a year.
"The doctors I was working for gave me the boot up the backside to get it checked out - my message is get checked out as soon as possible."
Unlike Clarkson, he 'caught it quite late' - but thanks to the marvel that is modern medicine, Titmarsh is still here to tell the tale.
The decorator said he had been using the loo 'easily once an hour' by the time he finally did something about this symptom. Doctors then conducted some blood tests and an MRI scan.
Titmarsh subsequently underwent a biopsy and further investigations confirmed that he had stage four prostate cancer, which had spread to a portion of his bone at the bottom of his rib too.
Speaking of his diagnosis in August 2024, Titmarsh said: "I was in a bit of shock - you don't really take it all in. I was okay telling my family, but then I was in the gym with my friend, and I saw him and just burst into tears.
"It was two blokes just crying and hugging in the gym. Everyone else must have wondered what was going on."
Three months later, Titmarsh began chemotherapy while doctors also prescribed him medication to block the production of testosterone, as his oncologist believed it was 'feeding the cancer'.
He reckons it 'would have been curtains for him' if the chemo didn't work, but thankfully, he responded well to the treatments. By December 2024, Titmarsh was in remission.
The handyman is now training for Sir Chris Hoy's Tour de 4 charity cycling event in September in aid of Prostate Cancer Research, while hoping to raise awareness of the symptoms.
Titmarsh - who now needs two-monthly blood tests and daily hormone medications - said: "The most common symptom of this is going to the loo more."
"Aside from that, you would never have known I was ill at all - I didn't lose any weight," he went on. "Just get that checked out as soon as possible.
"Forget the British stiff upper lip. And my message is just be positive, and have a good circle of family and friends around you."
He pointed out that Clarkson has a 'good network around him' to help him through this tumultuous time, while reminding people that having a celebrity status doesn't make you invincible.
"It'll always be a shock - nobody wants the dreaded 'C word'," Titmarsh said. "Whether you have £1 or £1million in the bank, it can happen to you.
"In a way, it's people like Sir Chris Hoy and Jeremy Clarkson sharing their stories that can elevate awareness of it."
You can check out Titmarsh's GoFundMe here.
Main symptoms of prostate cancer
According to the NHS, prostate cancer often has no symptoms at first - however, some common red flags include:
- finding it difficult to start peeing or straining to pee
- having a weak flow of urine
- "stop start" peeing
- needing to pee urgently or often, or both
- feeling like you still need to pee when you've just finished
- peeing during the night
- erectile dysfunction (being unable to get or keep an erection)
- blood in your urine or blood in your semen
- lower back pain and losing weight without trying to (these may be symptoms of advanced prostate cancer)
Topics: Cancer, Health, Jeremy Clarkson
Olivia Burke