First Dates barman Merlin Griffiths has been diagnosed with bowel cancer
He has stage three bowel cancer
He's the happy chap barman that settles the nerves of First Dates contestants, but Merlin Griffiths has now opened up about his heartbreaking cancer diagnosis.
46-year-old Merlin, who is a fan favourite of the popular Channel 4 dating show, has revealed he's been diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer, after going to get checked out by doctors following stomach pains in June.
Despite initially passing off the stomach pain as a side effect to an injury he'd previously suffered, Merlin decided to go and get checked out by professionals, with doctors later discovering a 4.5cm malignant tumour.
Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Merlin said: “I thought, as most people must when they get a diagnosis, ‘Oh f---, I’ve got cancer.
“I also wanted to know, what are my chances of surviving? It’s terrifying – of course I want to live. I’ve shed a tear in private. But you can choose ‘to do’ or ‘not to do’. I chose to lead my life as normal, to stick to the facts about it, and to keep putting one step in front of the other.”
Merlin, who has a seven-year-old daughter called Alix, also explained to the publication about the heartbreaking moment he had to explain his diagnosis.
He said: “I said, ‘Dad’s got cancer’. She said, ‘Is that bad, Dad?’
“I said, ‘Yes, it’s very serious but I think it should be OK. Modern medicine’s great and if anything changes I’ll let you know.’"
Merlin now faces a year of chemotherapy treatment, with doctors telling him he has a 75% chance of living beyond five years.
Merlin has been part of the First Dates team since the show first started in 2013.
Although he works as a bar attender on the show, Merlin is a pub landlord and has also previously worked for Bombay Sapphire gin as a brand ambassador.
The popular star has also previously worked as a model, appearing in fashion shows across the world in Barcelona, New York and Paris.
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You can catch Merlin on the new series of First Dates, airing every Monday night at 10pm on Channel 4.