Wayne Sleep, 78, shares cancer diagnosis as ballet dancer flooded with support after emotional statement

“A few people have commented that I haven’t been looking quite my usual self recently, so I thought I would share an update,” he began.

“Since the summer, I have been undergoing treatment for cancer.”

Mr Sleep expressed optimism about his progress, crediting staff at the Royal Marsden Hospital. “I’m pleased to say that the treatment appears to be working, and I am on the mend thanks to all at the Royal Marsden and am looking forward to getting back to full strength,” he said.

The former Royal Ballet principal dancer did not specify the nature of his diagnosis but confirmed he remains “in good spirits and feeling positive about the future.”

His post was accompanied by a photograph taken at Kew Gardens in west London on Friday, where Mr Sleep had been enjoying the Henry Moore sculpture exhibition.

“Photo here on Friday at Kew Gardens looking at the wonderful Henry Moore exhibition,” he captioned the image, which showed him standing beside a large bronze work.

He signed off his message with “Much love, Wayne x,” prompting an outpouring of support from followers who rushed to share their well wishes and encouragement.

Mr Sleep has not revealed specific details about the type of cancer he is facing or the treatment he is undergoing, though he made clear that the care he has received at the renowned specialist cancer hospital has put him on a positive trajectory towards recovery.

This is not Sleep’s first encounter with the disease. 11 years ago, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer after raised PSA levels were detected during routine health checks.

He previously told the Mirror that the diagnosis shook him “to the core,” but that doctors had caught it at an early stage.

Rather than undergo radiotherapy, which would have required multiple hospital visits, Mr Sleep chose an alternative approach so as not to miss filming for The Real Marigold Hotel in India.

“The other option we discussed was brachytherapy, where tiny radioactive pellets are put into the prostate to kill the cancer,” he explained. “So I went for that. I didn’t really discuss my illness with many people.”

His initial prostate concerns had first been flagged as far back as 2010, with his PSA levels becoming noticeably elevated by April 2015.

Mr Sleep’s career in dance began when he won a Leverhulme Scholarship to the Royal Ballet School in 1961, going on to become a senior principal dancer despite being the shortest male performer ever admitted to the institution at just 5ft 2in.

His stage credits include originating the role of Mr Mistoffelees in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats in 1981.

Beyond the stage, he became a familiar face on British television, appearing on the inaugural series of I’m A Celebrity in 2003 and reaching the Celebrity Big Brother final in 2018, where he finished fifth.

He also competed on Celebrity MasterChef, coming fourth, and served as a judge on ITV’s Stepping Out alongside Mel B.

In 2017, he participated in The Real Full Monty, campaigning to raise awareness of prostate and testicular cancer.