Tony Robinson announces prostate cancer diagnosis and explains modern testing methods

Actor Tony Robinson has spoken publicly about his prostate cancer diagnosis, which he received around 2013 but kept private until 2023. Robinson, who is 79, was diagnosed after a routine health check before a television production.

He wants men to know that doctors no longer rely mainly on physical examination to detect the disease. Modern testing uses a blood test called PSA, which measures a specific protein, along with other methods. Robinson admitted he only discovered this change in procedure about a year ago.

His concern is that many men avoid getting checked because they fear an uncomfortable physical examination. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in the UK, affecting around 64,000 men each year and causing more than 12,000 deaths annually.