James Whale shares he ‘probably won’t be here next week’ as he enters hospice
James Whale has said that he has entered hospice care, as he recorded what he said would be his final podcast with his wife.
The radio and TV host, 74, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, revealing in 2020 that his kidney cancer had returned and spread to his brain, spine and lungs.
Whale is best known for hosting The James Whale Radio Show, as well as for his work for talkSPORT and talkRADIO over the years.
The Celebrity Big Brother star has been hosting the podcast Tales Of The Whales with his wife Nadine and has now said Friday’s (July 25) episode would be his last, with his voice was barely a whisper during the recording.
He said: ‘I’m in a hospice. I probably won’t be here next week. I’m fine. I’ve got so many drugs in me, I can’t feel a thing.’
Whale then went on to say: ‘A lot of people get really upset when someone is going to die. I’m the person who’s going to die and I’m quite relaxed about it.’
His wife, Nadine, also said that he had ‘perked up’ since arriving at the hospice and had changed his medications so he was ‘more lucid’.
She admitted she has been finding it harder to come to terms with his diagnosis but praised how ‘brilliantly’ he has been coping with it.
The couple said they had been crying a lot, reading messages and voice notes from listeners who praised Whale’s contribution to their lives.
Whale married Nadine in 2021. She is his second wife, as he was married to Melinda Whale from 1970 to 2018, and they have two sons.
When it came time to say goodbye to their listenership for the last time, he said to his wife: ‘We’ve had the best time together, haven’t we? I love you.’
He added: ‘Thank you for being a listener. I hope it helps in some way. Who knows what is next, so I can only say, au revoir.’
Earlier this year, Whale announced he had stopped receiving treatment and recently marked what he called his ‘last birthday’, surrounded by close friends and family.
He admitted that he would be ‘lucky’ to make it to Christmas, but made it clear he doesn’t want a pity party.
‘I don’t want anybody feeling sorry,’ he told Lizzie Cundy during a mini interview amid his birthday bash.
‘I’m just giving you a lowdown on it. If I make it to Christmas, I will be exceptionally lucky.
‘Sometimes, I think it will be easier just to have a heart attack and go.’
Whale has been a fixture of British broadcasting for over 50 years, receiving an MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to broadcasting and charity.
He also founded the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer in 2006 – now Kidney Cancer UK – the country’s leading charity focused on the disease.
Macmillan cancer support
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information.
You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.
