Harry and Jeremy Elson shared their family’s devastating experience with prostate cancer on BBC Breakfast
Abbie Bray Deputy Editor for Screen Time
09:37, 28 Nov 2025
BBC Breakfast took an emotional turn on Friday morning as presenters Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty spoke with a father and son who both fought prostate cancer.
The Elson family shared their deeply personal story with BBC Breakfast, revealing how the illness has impacted their lives during a moving interview. Both Harry and his son Jeremy were diagnosed with the condition, though whilst Jeremy’s cancer was caught early, his father wasn’t as fortunate.
Charlie said, “There have been growing calls for more prostate cancer screening in the UK, including from Sir Chris Hoy, former prime ministers Rishi Sunak and Lord David Cameron.”
Naga added, “This afternoon, an expert advisory panel will announce whether it believes the government should introduce a screening program.”
Charlie went on, “Ahead of the decision, our reporter Tim Muffett visited a family which has seen three generations diagnosed with the disease,” reports the Express.
Naga and Charlie on BBC Breakfast(Image: BBC)READ MORE: I’m A Celebrity fans cry ‘can they quit’ as they make same live trial complaintREAD MORE: Blind Date couple went on TV ‘for a laugh’ and are still married 34 years later
Tim began the segment by asking Harry’s wife and Jeremy’s mum how the diagnoses had affected their family. She described how it had “turned their life upside down” and proved “devastating.”
She said, “Harry and I are always so close, so loving, and to have him diagnosed with what is a…could be a terminal disease was life-shattering.”
Before discussing his own condition, Harry revealed that his father and his father’s brothers had all died from prostate cancer. “I am stage four,” Harry revealed, before adding, “Which means to say that it’s got outside of the capsule and gone into my body, into my bones, not curable.”
Harry broke down while discussing his diagnosis(Image: BBC)
Harry then began to become emotional as his son, Jeremy, opened up about his own battle with prostate cancer.
He stated, “It was considered an old man’s disease, probably, and I think that we know now that it’s not.”
In a voiceover, Tim clarified, “As this family has discovered, an early diagnosis of prostate cancer can make all the difference. Harry’s son, Jeremy, was also diagnosed with the condition, but at a much earlier stage than his dad.”
Jeremy’s diagnosis was detected early, prompting him to seek medical advice due to his family history. Despite his PSA levels being low, he started experiencing groin pain, which led to further tests and ultimately revealed he had prostate cancer.
He continued, “So they discovered it because of their interventions, as early as one can discover prostate cancer, and in my case, I’ve been cured. You know, the disease no longer exists to me.”
Harry’s son Jeremy is also battling prostate cancer(Image: BBC)
However, the same couldn’t be said for Jeremy’s father. When asked about that, Harry confessed, “No, it does make me furious, if I think about it, and I know with Margaret, but the thing is, it’s no good dwelling on it, really.”
Harry’s wife, Margaret, chimed in, “I’m really so angry for him. This could have been stopped if we had realised that he should have pushed a bit more at the GP.
“I know there are lots of people who have much worse diagnoses and are in much worse condition. Truly, I don’t much care about other people, which sounds very callous. I care about Harry and the family.”
It was an emotional moment for the entire family(Image: BBC)
Harry was visibly emotional as he said, “Margaret’s just been a rock. She does everything. She organises me, the hospital runs, the tablets, and chemotherapy. She has been a huge support.
“I want to carry that flag for people who have got stage four, say it’s not the end of the road.”
BBC Breakfast is broadcast every day at 6am on BBC One.
