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Singer Noddy Holder was told he only had six months to live after being diagnosed with cancer five years ago. 

The Slade frontman was given the shock prognosis of a tumour in his oesophagus in 2018 and was informed by doctors he would die within months.

But following an intense round of experimental chemotherapy, the 77-year-old star battled back and even performed on stage earlier this year.

Suzan Holder, 57, who married the glam rocker in 2004, revealed details of his treatment in Cheshire Life magazine today, describing how he coped “with amazing good humour and breath-taking bravery”.

She wrote: “Five years ago we were given the devastating news that he had oesophageal cancer and only had six months to live.

Liam Gallagher (right) on stage with Noddy Holder to collect the award for 'BRIT's Album of 30 Years' won by Oasis during the BRIT Awards 2010, at Earls Court, London.
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Noddy Holder with Liam Gallagher at the BRIT Awards 2010

“I’m sorry if that comes as a bit of a shock; it came as a total bombshell to us too.

“We coped with it the only way we could, by hunkering down, sticking together and doing everything we could to survive it.

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“We told only immediate close family and friends and I will never apologise to those we did not confide in, only to those who were forced to suffer pain and anguish alongside us as we attempted to navigate our way through this new and horrifying world.

“They held our hands and kept our confidence. We truly found out who our real friends are.”

Last year, the musician and actor joined fellow singer Ozzy Osbourne plus a host of other stars to sing on a Christmas song to raise money for The Cancer Awareness Trust charity.

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He fronted the glam rock band Slade, known for singles Merry Xmas Everybody and Far Far Away, until he quit the group in 1992 after a series of arguments.

The band finally split up completely after 50 years performing in 2020, when drummer Don Powell claimed he was sacked by email.

Mrs Holder said her husband was treated at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester where he “agreed to a gruelling course of experimental treatment as part of a brand-new trial of intense chemotherapy”.

She added: “There were no guarantees, no one knew if it would have any effect, let alone work miracles, but he responded well.

“As anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis will know, the experts never like to use the word ‘cure’, but here we are five years later and he’s feeling good and looking great.”

Musician Neville (Noddy) Holder from the band Slade with his son Django, age 5, received a MBE from the Prince of Wales during an Investiture ceremony held at Buckingham Palace.
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Noddy Holder with his son Django when he was awarded a MBE in 2000

Mrs Holder said she was in “awe” of Noddy and praised the hospital for his treatment.

“The care and expertise we experienced at The Christie was excellent,” she said.

“In addition, Noddy has always been great at living in the moment, not hankering for the past or worrying about the future.

“That attitude served him well and a lot of his recovery has been credited to his positive mental attitude.

“You need so much mental strength to get through something like this. I’ve always been impressed by my husband’s focus and determination but now I am completely in awe.”

During the summer, Noddy performed in his home town Walsall, West Midlands, at Wimborne in Dorset and at The Lowry in Salford, Greater Manchester, after he was invited back on stage by singer Tom Seals.

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Danny Dyer on Mr Bigstuff, Oasis, and his surprising screensaver

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Danny Dyer on Mr Bigstuff, Oasis, and his surprising screensaver

From Human Traffic and The Business to his critically acclaimed performance in the raunchy TV adaptation of Rivals, via a stint as Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter in EastEnders, Danny Dyer has been on our screens for more than 30 years.

But it was his performance in the TV comedy Mr Bigstuff that earned him his first BAFTA win – and one of the ceremony’s biggest cheers from the audience – earlier this year.

Danny Dyer in Mr Bigstuff
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Danny Dyer as Lee Campbell in Mr Bigstuff

Now, he returns to his prize-winning role for the second series of the Sky show, which tells the story of two estranged brothers – Glen (played by creator Ryan Sampson), an anxious carpet salesman living his ideal suburban life with fiancee Kirsty (Harriet Webb), and Lee (played by Dyer), an alpha male who struts back into his brother’s life carrying their father’s ashes.

The Campbell brothers in the Bafta-winning series
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Ryan Sampson (right) created the series and stars alongside Dyer

Several EastEnders alumni feature, including Nitin Ganatra, Victoria Alcock and Linda Henry, who played Dyer’s on-screen mother, Shirley Carter.

Reflecting on some of Albert Square’s most famous characters and who would work well in Mr Bigstuff, Dyer says he would have loved to see the late June Brown, who played the chain-smoking hypochondriac Dot Cotton for 35 years, taking on a role.

“Absolute legend,” he says.

Sampson suggests the late Dame Barbara Windsor, who played the formidable Queen Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell, but has a clear pitch if season three gets the green light.

“It could still be a possible, it would be amazing,” he says. “You want your Pat Butcher, don’t you? You want Pam St Clement. Why hasn’t she played a mafia boss yet? She’d be amazing. She’d be incredible at it.”

Danny Dyer in the press room after winning the Male Performance in a Comedy Programme Award for 'Mr Bigstuff' during the 2025 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall, London. Picture date: Sunday May 11, 2025.
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Dyer at the BAFTAs earlier this year. Pic: PA

Dyer reveals his screensaver

After his long career on screen, Dyer is now enjoying playing a variety of roles alongside the Cockney geezer types that became his bread and butter in the early noughties.

His nuanced performance as awkward entrepreneur Freddie Jones in Rivals brought him praise from fans and critics alike, and Mr Bigstuff his BAFTA.

But Dyer always had range. After small TV roles in shows including The Bill and A Touch Of Frost, he grew close to the Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter in 2000 after auditioning and earning the role of a waiter in his play Celebration at the Almeida Theatre in Islington, north London.

“I’ve got Harold Pinter as a screensaver on my phone,” he says. “I always feel that he’s sort of looking down on me or close to me, so I like to just feel that he’s around me.”

Dyer continued the role in Celebration both in the West End and on Broadway, with Pinter becoming his mentor in the process.

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In 2020, he presented a Sky Arts documentary, Danny Dyer On Pinter, which explored the life, career and impact of the playwright and screenwriter, who died in 2008.

He also has plans to develop a stage tribute to his friend, currently titled When Harry Met Danny.

Reflecting on his entry into the industry, he says theatre was quite inaccessible at the time, but Pinter opened it up to him.

“I think it’s even worse now, which I feel is a sad state of affairs,” he says. “I don’t know why that is. Everything’s become quite elite. All the elite f****** looking after themselves, so that needs to change.”

‘Love in the air’ at Oasis gig

But Pinter isn’t his only big influence – Dyer was one of the thousands of fans to see Oasis make their return to the stage in Cardiff earlier this month.

“It was really emotional seeing them come out,” he says. “There was a lot of love in the air, a lot of good energy.

“You know, there’s a lot of f****** shit going on. I think people, of my age as well, just want to jump around and sing them songs at the top of their lungs. So I’m still recovering, I’m not going to lie.”

Mr Bigstuff returns for season two on Thursday, on Sky Max and NOW

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Scuffle breaks out on stage of Royal Opera House after performer unfurls Palestinian flag

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Scuffle breaks out on stage of Royal Opera House after performer unfurls Palestinian flag

A brief scuffle broke out at London’s Royal Opera House after a performer unfurled a Palestinian flag during a show.

The incident took place during a performance of Il Trovatore on Saturday.

During the final night of the 11-night run of the show, a performer held up the flag on stage.

In video footage, shared online, someone backstage could be seen attempting to take it off the performer. The performer grabs it back following a brief scuffle.

A spokesperson for the Royal Ballet and Opera said: “The display of the flag was an unauthorised action by the artist.

“It was not approved by the Royal Ballet and Opera and is a wholly inappropriate act.”

The reaction to the flag was mixed, with some people heard applauding and cheering, while another audience member was heard saying “oh my God”.

One poster on X, who claimed to have been a member of the audience, said: “Extraordinary scenes at the Royal Opera House tonight.

“During the curtain call for Il Trovatore one of the background artists came on stage waving a Palestine flag. Just stood there, no bowing or shouting. Someone off stage kept trying to take it off him. Incredible.”

Performers show support for Palestinians

A number of performers have shown support for Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

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During Glastonbury Festival, numerous acts offered messages of support during their sets, including Kneecap, Bob Vylan, Wolf Alice, and Amyl And The Sniffers.

During her band’s set, Wolf Alice singer Ellie Rowsell told the crowd at the Other Stage: “Whilst we have the stage for just a little bit longer, we want to express our solidarity with the people of Palestine.

“No-one should ever be afraid to do that.”

Following their performances, both Kneecap and Bob Vylan faced investigation by Avon and Somerset Police.

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BBC ‘regrets’ not pulling Bob Vylan live performance

Bob Vylan were widely criticised after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).

The performance was live-streamed by the BBC, sparking a backlash against the broadcaster – which later issued an apology.

The investigation into Kneecap was later dropped, with the police saying there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.

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Chief executive of Astronomer Andy Byron resigns after Coldplay concert video

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Chief executive of Astronomer Andy Byron resigns after Coldplay concert video

The chief executive of tech firm Astronomer has resigned after a video appearing to show two of its senior members of staff embracing at a Coldplay concert went viral.

The tech firm said chief executive Andy Byron had tendered his resignation, and that the board of directors had accepted it.

“As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding,” the company said in a statement.

“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.

“The board will begin a search for our next chief executive as co-founder and chief product officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.”

The firm previously said Mr Byron, who was alleged to be the man in the clip, had been placed on leave, but stopped short of confirming it was him in the video.

In the viral clip, the pair are shown on a screen with their arms around each other during the British band’s concert at the Gillette Stadium, in Boston, Massachusetts, on 16 July.

Once both of them realised they were being projected, the man quickly ducked out of view while the woman turned to hide her face from the camera.

Woman hides her face
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Woman hides her face

Appearing to poke fun at the couple, Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin is heard on the clip saying: “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

The awkward encounter sent the internet into a frenzy, with the video gaining millions of views on social media and reports emerging that the two were executives from New York-based tech company Astronomer.

In a previous statement on Friday, the company addressed the viral moment, saying in a post on X that it had launched a “formal investigation” into the matter.

“The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter, and we will have additional details to share very shortly,” it said.

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The company also said Mr Byron had not commented on the matter after a fake statement claiming to be from him began circulating online.

Astronomer said another named member of staff was “not at the event” and that “no other employees were in the video”.

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