Celebrity Big Brother's Louis Walsh Reveals He Was Diagnosed With A 'rare' Blood Cancer In Lockdown As He Talks About Major Health Scare For The First Time

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Louis Walsh revealed he was diagnosed with a ‘rare’ type of cancer in 2020 as he spoke about the major health hazard for the first time on Friday.

The former X Factor star, 71, revealed he had Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinaemia, a rare type of blood cancer, but has since been given the all clear after receiving treatment in Dublin.

Discussing his health with Levi and Ekin-Su on Celebrity Big Brother, he told the pair that ‘nobody knew he was ill’.

Levi asked how Louis used the corona lockdown, he replied: ‘I was sick and I think nobody knew I was sick. I had cancer. A mild version, a rare one.’

Levi asked, ‘What part? Pancreatic cancer?’

Louis Walsh revealed he was diagnosed with a ‘rare’ type of cancer in 2020 as he opened up about the major health scare for the first time on Friday

The former X Factor star, 71, revealed he had Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinaemia, a rare type of blood cancer, but has since been given the all clear after receiving treatment in Dublin (pictured March 2020)

‘In my blood I didn’t even know I had it until I went to the hospital and then they checked me, checked me, checked me, then they found it.

‘They said it was rare and I said (shrugs) away. Gone’, Louis replied.

The music manager admitted that being diagnosed with cancer left him in ‘shock’ and gave him a ‘reality check’.

He continued: ‘It affected me mentally, to be honest with you. (points to his head) it’s just up here, even walking past a hospital makes me almost sick.

‘It’s all gone, I’m fine. It was just the shock of being sick and that word … nobody wants that word.

‘I have it blocked, a reality check, you see so many people sick and it’s horrible.

‘In my world it was about pop music and all that. I didn’t think about anyone getting sick or anything like that. And it was like wow reality check you’re in the real world.’

Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (also known as lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma) is a rare form of low-grade lymphoma (a type of bone marrow cancer) which in most cases is associated with the presence of an excessive amount of abnormal protein in the blood.

Before entering the house, Louis revealed he had signed up to the ITV show for fun after attending two recent funerals for friends which gave him a reality check about his own mortality.

Louis said: ‘I was sick and I don’t think anyone knew I was sick. I had cancer. A mild version, a rare one in my blood, I didn’t even know I had it until I went to hospital’

The music executive, who said his cancer is now ‘gone’, admitted being diagnosed left him in ‘shock’ and gave him a ‘reality check’ as it really affected him mentally

What is Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia?

Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia is also known as lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma.

It is a rare form of low-grade lymphoma (a type of bone marrow cancer) which in most cases is associated with the presence of an excessive amount of abnormal protein in the blood.
Due to the rarity of the condition, University College London Hospital in the UK has the largest referral practice for this condition
The cancer usually develops over a long period of time, with some people having no symptoms. It can be detected when blood samples are taken for another reason.
Symptoms may be caused by lymphoma cells that build up in the bone marrow. The lymphoma cells take up space, making it difficult for the bone marrow to make enough normal blood cells.
The most common symptoms are: feeling weak and tired (fatigue), looking very pale or feeling short of breath due to a lack of red blood cells (anaemia), repeated infections due to a lack of healthy white blood cells (which help fight infections), bruising or bleeding easily heavy, profuse night sweats weight loss.
Blood Cancer UK can offer advice and support

He told Mirror: ‘I don’t want to be in my last chapter, I want to live. I want to enjoy myself. I will not die. But then it makes sense that you get to this age and think, why not? Life is to short.

‘I’ve lost some people in my life recently and it changes you. I attended two funerals. Yes, it’s definitely a reality check. It makes you think about what life is all about. It makes you rethink what is important and what you care about. Losing friends makes you think about your own mortality.

‘I want to enjoy myself more. I want to see the world. Everywhere. I don’t have a bucket list. I don’t like that word. I just want to see the rest of the world. I just want to enjoy life – live, love and laugh. I don’t want to be older and think if only I had. I won’t do that no. There is no time to regret. I’m happy. I’m honestly happy at the moment and it’s given me an extra push to go and enjoy life even more.’

That will come later viewers were furious when Louis ordered Nikita Kuzmin to ‘stop crying’ in tense scenes on Thursday night.

Louis scolded the Strictly star, 26, during the shocking face-to-face nominations when the latter started crying while voting for the former.

The housemates were ordered to kiss the housemate they nominated – and when a sobbing Nikita approached Louis after saying he was lazy in the house, the seven-year-old spat: ‘Stop crying for God’s sake’.

Nikita – who stated: ‘I don’t think Louis has helped around the house as much as everyone else has, that’s my reason’ before Louis’ spell – has scored legions of fans since entering the house, of which many swarmed Twitter following the moment.

Angry fans wrote: ‘LOUIS TELLS NIKITA TO “STOP CRYING FOR GOD’S SAKE” YOU ARE A BITTER EMOTIONAL OLD LET MY BABY EVERYONE… @kuzmin__nikita is so pure Louis is disgusting we must protect nikita at all costs!!! .. .’

Blood Cancer UK can offer all advice and support