8 royals and celebrities who have battled lung cancer

Lung cancer is the third most common form of cancer, with more than 43,000 people diagnosed with the condition every year in the UK.

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Though it's far less common in non-smokers and even rarer in those under the age of 40, lung cancer can affect anyone. It's important to recognise the early signs of cancer such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, pain when breathing and weight loss. Always get checked by your GP if you have any concerns about your health.

A Place in the Sun star Jonnie Irwin recently opened his heart to HELLO!, revealing that he has sadly been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. In light of Jonnie's bravery to open up about his health, and to mark lung cancer Awareness Month this November, scroll on to discover celebrities and royals who have overcome, are currently battling, or have sadly passed from the disease.

READ: The breast cancer signs and symptoms you need to know

MORE: Harry Potter star Alan Rickman's secret cancer battle while filming: revealed

Jonnie Irwin

Escape to the Country host Jonnie Irwin opened up to HELLO! for the first time about his diagnosis with lung cancer, which has now spread to his brain.

Speaking alongside his wife Jessica, 40 – with whom he shares son Rex, three, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac – Jonnie said: "I don’t know how long I have left, but I try to stay positive and my attitude is that I'm living with cancer, not dying from it.

EXCLUSIVE: A Place In The Sun star Jonnie Irwin's moving life lesson amid cancer diagnosis

"I want to make memories and capture these moments with my family because the reality is, my boys are going to grow up not knowing their dad and that breaks my heart."

Leah Bracknell

Emmerdale actress Leah Bracknell died in 2019 after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2016. When Leah, who played Zoe Tate in Emmerdale between 1989 and 2005, was first diagnosed after a hospital check-up related to her heart, she was told that she'd have just eight months to live.

Previously opening up about her diagnosis, Leah told Loose Women: "I don’t wake up every morning feeling fearful, I wake up feeling grateful and excited about life."

Larry King

Legendary talk show host Larry King revealed he was diagnosed with lung cancer back in 2017. The star, who hosted Larry King Live on CNN for over 25 years, underwent major surgery to tackle the disease, returning to work just two weeks later.

Larry sadly passed in 2019 at age 87, though it's not believed his lung cancer was the cause of his death. His three sons, Larry, Jr., Chance and Cannon, released a heartfelt statement following their father’s death. It read: "Through it all, we knew without a doubt in the world that he loved us more than life itself. He was an amazing father, and he was fiercely loyal to those lucky enough to call him a friend. We will miss him every single day of our lives."

Ronnie Wood

Legendary Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood shared he was battling "a touch of lung cancer" back in 2017. The rockstar was a self-proclaimed chain smoker until 2016, when he and his wife, Sally Humphreys, welcomed twins into the world.

Luckily, his treatment was successful and he made a full recovery.

George Harrison

George Harrison, who died at 58 in 2001 was the lead guitarist of iconic British rock band The Beatles. The Liverpool-born star underwent surgery for throat cancer in 1997, before developing secondary lung cancer. Despite undergoing surgery for the disease, George died shortly after.

Donna Summer

After gaining prominence in the 1970s, Hot Stuff hitmaker Donna Summer was quickly known as the "Queen of Disco". Her famous hits Love to Love You Baby and Bad Girls dominated dance charts for years, hailing her a music icon of her time. Despite never smoking, Donna was diagnosed with lung cancer and died in 2012, at the age of 63.

Kathy Griffin

Comedian Kathy Griffin recently underwent lung removal surgery in a bid to improve her health after being diagnosed with lung cancer in August. The 61-year-old star had half her left lung removed, and is making a slow but successful recovery.

Taking to Twitter to give fans an update following her surgery, Kathy's good friend tweeted: "For her first walk post cancer, surgery, et al, she ended up walking about three miles. @kathygriffin is the original badass."

King George VI

If you've watched the first season of The Crown, which begins on a rather sombre note, you'll know the late Queen Elizabeth II unexpectedly lost her father King George VI when she was just 25 years old.

The late monarch officially died from a coronary thrombosis, a blocking of blood flow to the heart as a result of a blood clot in an artery, though he had struggled with lung cancer for years prior.

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