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Celebrity chef James Martin has shared his seven-year-long battle with facial cancer, which left him suffering in "debilitating pain". The former Saturday Kitchen host and This Morning regular was just 45 when he received the diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer. With bouts of intense pain, he had an operation to try and remove the cancer, but despite the surgeon's efforts, it "returned on several occasions" and required the 52-year-old to have regular treatment.

While speaking on the Good Food podcast, he told host Samuel Goldsmith: "When you're going through the hell that I've gone through in the last six years and you've just been given the all clear. When you get given that news, it's horrific, but when you're given the news at the end of it, it makes you think in a different light."

The type of skin cancer is very common and is often caused by long exposure to the sun without UV protection or the use of tanning beds.

The cancer starts in the skin's upper layer, typically manifesting as basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and is most common on the areas of the body exposed to the sun, such as the head, face, ears, neck, shoulders, back, hands, and lower legs.

Early warning signs can be seen in the form of growths or patches that can be different in terms of colour, size, and texture. If you find any new lumps or growths, it is important to get them checked out as early as possible with a medical professional. Individuals with darker skin tones are less likely to develop non-melanoma skin cancer, but the risk remains present.

Martin's diagnosis also came at a tough time for the chef. Speaking candidly about the experience, he described the time as "one of the most fraught and difficult periods of my life", later adding that the whole experience was "traumatising".

But after taking a break from his work and TV gigs last year, Martin says he's now feeling much healthier and has got over the hump.

Speaking to Candis Magazine, he revealed his new optimism and plans to get back to work: "This is the first time in six years that I feel as fit as a fiddle.

"I've got this dream. I'd have my own place called Eight, which would be open eight days a month, serving an eight-course menu to 18 people."

The chef and host have also shared that he's undergone a lifestyle change that's made him significantly more active and helped him to shed some pounds.

Revealing that he now focuses on 20,000 to 30,000 steps a day, he's often out walking and taking in the fresh air rather than being locked up in a sweaty gym.