In a surprising revelation, Sir Cliff Richard announced that he has been quietly undergoing treatment for prostate cancer over the past year. The beloved British entertainer, now 85, discovered his condition during a routine health examination required for insurance purposes before embarking on a concert tour across Australia and New Zealand.

During an interview with veteran broadcaster Dermot Murnaghan, who is also facing a battle with stage four advanced prostate cancer, Sir Cliff shared insights into his journey. He expressed relief, stating that his cancer is currently “gone” and took the opportunity to advocate for a national screening program for men, labeling the absence of such a program as “absolutely ridiculous.”

The call for a nationwide screening initiative aligns with a longstanding campaign by the Daily Mail, which has been urging for a system akin to those established for breast, bowel, and cervical cancers. Such a program could potentially save countless lives by enabling earlier detection and treatment.

Sir Cliff said his cancer had ‘gone at the moment’ and backed calls for a national screening test for men, calling it ‘absolutely ridiculous’ there is not one already.

The Daily Mail has long campaigned for a national screening programme – similar to that in place for breast, bowel and cervical cancer – to be implemented as a chance to save thousands of lives.

And it came after King Charles, whose cancer type has not been revealed, also urged people to get checked in a landmark video message on Friday night.

In an interview with Good Morning Britain, Sir Cliff said: ‘I don’t know whether it’s going to come back. We can’t tell those sort of things but we need to, absolutely, I’m convinced, get there, get tested, get checked.’

‘The good fortune was that it was not very old, and the other thing is that it has not metastasised. Nothing had moved into bones or anything like that.’

Sir Cliff Richard has revealed he has been treated for prostate cancer for the past year

The singer was speaking to veteran broadcaster Dermot Murnaghan, 67, who has himself been diagnosed with stage four advanced prostate cancer

The singer, known for decades of hits including The Young Ones, We Don’t Talk Anymore and Summer Holiday, described the lack of a national screening programme as ‘absolutely ridiculous’.

‘We have governments to look after our country and those who live in that country, so I can’t see how you can say, “Oh we can do this, we can do that, but we don’t do this for these people”,’ Sir Cliff said.

‘We all deserve to have the same ability to have a test and then start treatments really early.

‘It seems to me – I’ve only been for one year now in touch with cancer, but every time I’ve talked with anybody this has come up and so I think our Government must listen to us.’

The King last week said his cancer treatment would be reduced in the new year, and Sir Cliff said he was keen to join forces to raise awareness.

‘I’ve been involved with many charities over the years and if the King is happy to front it for us, I’m sure loads of people, I certainly would join him.

‘If the King is listening, I think most of us would say “yeah – we’re available”.’

In November, the UK National Screening Committee announced a draft recommendation for a targeted prostate cancer screening programme.

If implemented, the programme would invite men aged 45 to 61 with a genetic mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes for screening every two years.

Dermot Murnaghan, who is himself in the midst of a cancer battle, said: ‘Prostate cancer, we should put out there, is the most prevalent cancer amongst men and the biggest cancer killer of men. There is no national screening programme’.

Sir Cliff told Dermot that his cancer had ‘gone at the moment’ and backed calls for a national screening test for men, calling it ‘absolutely ridiculous’ there is not one already

The Daily Mail is campaigning to end needless prostate cancer deaths and has also called for a national screening programme to be introduced

Chiara De Biase, Director of Health Services, Equity and Improvement at Prostate Cancer UK said: ‘We’re glad to hear that Sir Cliff Richard found his prostate cancer at an early stage and has had successful treatment. 

‘We thank him for sharing his story and in doing so raising vital awareness of this disease, which is completely curable if found early. But men’s lives should not be left to chance. We lose 12,000 dads, brothers, sons and friends to this disease every year. 

‘Prostate cancer is the last major cancer without a mass screening programme, and it’s about time for change. The National Screening Committee’s recent decision to only recommend screening for men with BRCA gene variations will save just a fraction of the lives we need to save, but it does show that research and evidence can shift the dial. 

‘And the research programme that will achieve screening for all men is already underway with Prostate Cancer UK’s £42 million TRANSFORM trial, which will bring new evidence back to the screening committee in just two years. If everyone who’s upset about the lack of mass screening joins with us, we can build the evidence we need to change it’.

King Charles has been ‘deeply touched’ at the reaction from around the world after he spoke about his cancer battle, Buckingham Palace said yesterday.

Charles, 77, revealed in a video message that his treatment will be significantly scaled back in the New Year after he responded ‘exceptionally well’ to treatment following his diagnosis in February last year.

A spokesman for the Palace said: ‘His Majesty will be greatly encouraged and deeply touched by the very positive reaction his message has generated. 

‘He will be particularly pleased at the way it has helped to shine a light on the benefits of cancer screening programmes. 

‘It has long been the King’s view that if some public good can come from sharing elements of his personal diagnosis and treatment journey, then it would be his pleasure and duty to do so.’

The Palace also remarked on the ‘scale and sensitivity of the worldwide media reaction’ to the King’s announcement, and added that Charles’s ‘thoughts and warmest wishes will remain with all those affected by cancer and those who care for them’.

In Charles’s pre-recorded message, which was broadcast on Friday as part of Channel 4’s Stand Up to Cancer campaign, he urged people to get screened for cancer if offered the chance, saying ‘early diagnosis quite simply saves lives’.

As part of the campaign, the King also promoted a new online Screening Checker for people without symptoms to find out if they’re eligible for a free cancer check.

King Charles speaking about his cancer recovery as part of a Stand Up To Cancer 2025 broadcast on Friday

Princess Catherine (pictured) attends a light display at the Royal Marsden Hospital on Saturday

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, which backs the online tool, said last night: ‘Since launching our new cancer Screening Checker, we’ve seen around 100,000 visits so far from people seeking information about cancer screening, with most of these taking place after His Majesty the King spoke openly about his own cancer journey during the Stand Up To Cancer live show.

‘This response shows just how important open conversations about cancer can be.’

Veteran broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, a long-time friend of Charles, said the King’s message would help ‘many thousands who would have died’ to be less frightened of getting checked out and seeking life-saving treatment.

Referring to the 1,000 per cent surge in people going to the NHS website for advice after the King’s original admission that he had cancer, Mr Dimbleby said: ‘It demonstrates the unique role of the sovereign. No one else could have done this. It was unrivalled.

‘It takes guts to say “I’ve got cancer”, and the fact Charles came out and said that will save lives.’

Meanwhile the Princess of Wales, who has endured her own battle with cancer, attended a light display at Royal Marsden Hospital in London last night in support of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.