BRAVE Sir Chris Hoy endured the “worst pain” of his life wearing a cold cap during his cancer treatment so he wouldn’t lose his hair.
The six-time Olympic gold medallist, 48, announced yesterday he has just four years to live.
He kept his terminal diagnosis a secret for a year and has described how his world “fell apart in one sentence”.
Sir Chris is currently in Copenhagen covering the World Track Cycling Championships for the BBC – and will be on TV this afternoon.
The dad-of-two began chemo in November last year and recalled how 10-year-old son Callum kept asking if he’d lose his hair.
Sir Chris told the Sunday Times the cold cap was “like your head being in a vice”, but he kept it on during all six rounds over 18 weeks.
He said that it was the worst pain he’s ever experienced, adding while grinning sheepishly: “And I’ve got a very high pain threshold.”
Sir Chris and Sarra decided to be open with their children and told them about the cancer during dinner one night, to which Callum asked: “Are you going to die?”
The former Olympian explained the medication would hopefully mean he would “be here for many, many years”.
Sir Chris had said in February he was being “treated for cancer” and claimed it was going well – though knew in reality it was just “management”.
And despite his terminal diagnosis, the Team GB legend has continued his media duties, including covering the Paris Olympics for the Beeb over the summer.
Today he has posted a photo alongside some of the broadcasting team from the Ballerup Super Arena and said it’s “great to be out”.
He told fans: “You may see in the news this weekend some articles about my health, so I just wanted to reassure you all that I’m feeling fit, strong and positive, and overwhelmed by all the love and support shown to my family and me.”
The shock news also comes weeks after the dad-of-two revealed his wife Sarra was diagnosed with incurable and degenerative multiple sclerosis.
The couple have chosen not tell their children Callum and Chloe, seven.
Sir Chris and Sarra have chosen low-risk but less effective treatments for Sarra’s MS.
On some days Sarra struggles to fit in the key in the door, Sir Chris said.
The couple have not yet told their two children about Sarra’s MS diagnosis.
By Jonathan Rose
SIR Chris Hoy began cycling at the age of six after he was inspired by the 1982 film ET.
Before he moved on to track cycling, he rode a BMX bike until the age of 15.
Sir Chris was ranked second in Britain, fifth in Europe and ninth in the World.
His dad picked up a £5 bike from a jumble sale – four years later Sir Chris was competing in the semi-final of a BMX world championship race.
“I was six when I saw ET,” he told The Guardian in 2020. “It changed my life. I wasn’t interested in cycling at all before.”
“The bikes I’d seen in Edinburgh just seemed functional things for getting from A to B,” continued Hoy, who grew up in Murrayfield.
“Then I saw those BMX bikes on screen and I was hooked. It wasn’t the scene where they cycle across the sky, but when they get chased by the police and they’re doing jumps and skidding round corners.
“It was the most exciting thing I’d ever seen. I wanted to do that.”
Four years later he became part of the British national squad.
A world championship medal came in 1999 with silver in the team sprint.
Sir Chris went on to become the second most decorated Olympic cyclist of all time.
Sir Chris has also now written a heartbreaking memoir detailing his experience of terminal cancer.
He said recording the audio version of his memoir is the hardest thing he has ever done.
The book ends with Sir Chris’s message to his children – which he said will be the words they listen to when he is gone.
The star had gone to the doctor in September last year after feeling a strain in his shoulder.
A tumour was found in his shoulder – before a second scan found the primary cancer in his prostate.
The prostate cancer had metastasised to Sir Chris’s bones – including his shoulder, pelvis, ribs, and spine.
Sir Chris recounted how he told his children that no-one lives for ever but he hopes to “be here for many, many more years”.
He began chemotherapy in November.
The sportsman suffered a violent allergic reaction in gruelling chemo sessions – but only missed five days of training on a bike.
Symptoms of prostate cancer can include:
Source: NHS
Well-wishes for the BBC pundit have poured in since his health announcement.
Sir Mark Cavendish, who holds the record for most stages won in the Tour de France, hailed Sir Chris as a “hero of a human being”.
Amy Joy Williams, MBE, the British former skeleton racer and Olympic gold medallist, added: “A pure superhuman who everyone loves. x”
And, Paddy McGuinness shared: “Some man”, as Dame Kelly Holmes wrote: “Sending love to you Chris.” While comedian Jack Whitehall penned: “Sending you all the love mate.”
All That Matters: My Toughest Race Yet by Sir Chris Hoy is published on November 7.
EASTENDERS fans have been left stunned by noticing a secret Christmas trend of Dot Cotton.
The eagle-eyed among soap fans have been left in shock after realising that the famous Walford icon had kept up a habit for 32 years without many ever knowing about it.
Dot, played by the late June Brown, is arguably one of EastEnders‘ most famous characters but did you know that she wore the same outfit every single Christmas Day since 1988.
Each time Dot appeared on the show at Christmas between 1988 and her final festive appearance in 2020, she made sure to wrap up in the very same dress to celebrate the holiday period with her friends and family.
Her iconic look was a red patterned-dress which featured a collar and she often chose to wear it underneath a scarf, coat or jacket of some sort.
More often than not, she chose to wear a light-yellow cardigan atop the outfit with it regularly accompanying her on her festive outings.
Whilst soap characters often have their signature looks and re-wear the same clothes from time-to-time, it is fair to say that it is pretty rare for one character to hold onto a piece of clothing for over thirty years.
Moreover, Dot only wore the dress for the extra special Christmas festivites.
The decision-making process as to why the dress was worn at Christmas each year is currently unknown however it is clear that Dot would not have stepped foot on Albert Square each winter without donning it for all to see.
It is unsurprising that Dot opted to wear her special dress every year with June famously aiming to portray Dot as close to a real-life East End woman as possible.
Over the years, Dot played a central part to Christmas storylines and was never far away from the Queen Vic catching up with pals or back at home prepping dinner for the Cotton-cum-Branning clan.
Her most famous Christmas storyline however took place on Christmas Eve as opposed to Christmas Day.
In 2002, Dot’s soon-to-be husband Jim Branning proposed to her aboard the London Eye on Christmas Eve.
In 2016, as Christmas rolled around once more, Dot wasted no time in whipping on her annual frock for an innuendo-laced episode that had all the viewers laughing.
The episode featured classic EastEnders comedy gold thanks to Dot’s new best friend: a black pussycat.
One classic line came from Billy Mitchell’s wife Honey, who warned her daughter: “Lily please don’t touch Dot’s pussy, you don’t know where it’s been.”
Another came from Dot herself, saying to the cat, which she named Ethel after her best friend: “Don’t go licking yourself in front of the Queen.”
In 2008, Dot also donned the dress as she met her granddaughter Dotty for the very first time.
Her son Nick brought his little girl along for the Christmas holidays in 2008 as he made a grand return to the soap after seven years away.
Here are just some of Dot's most memorable moments on Albert Square
By Shan Ally, Showbiz Reporter
LUKE LITTLER is through the final day of the Czech Darts Open after a sensational win over Nathan Aspinall.
Littler set a new tournament RECORD after averaging a sensational 110 in his blistering 6-1 win.
Michael van Gerwen is also through in what is the final chance for players to qualify for the European Championship later this month.
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LUKE LITTLER has revealed the subtle change behind his record-breaking performance at the Czech Darts Open.
The teenage darts sensation thrashed Nathan Aspinall 6-1 in the second round on Sunday.
Littler also set a new tournament record with a three-dart average of 110.43 in Prague.
It had been his first ever match in the event as he continues his debut year on the PDC circuit.
Following the win, the Nuke explained the change he made before seeing off Aspinall.
The 17-year-old switched darts after trialling a new set at the Players Championship 27 and 28 in Wigan during the week.
After reaching the last 16, he revealed: “I’m happy with that. I know what I can throw with these darts and that’s why I didn’t play with the gold ones.
“There was load of talk about changing my darts so I’ve come here this weekend and made the decision to go back to what I know best, and they went well tonight. If I play like this again tomorrow I’ll be very happy.”
Littler was beaten in the second round on both Tuesday and Wednesday before returning to winning ways on Saturday.
His victory sets up a last 16 clash with Damon Heta on the final day in the Czech Republic.
The youngster has already guaranteed himself £4,000 in prize money but could still scoop £30,000 by winning the tournament.
It would be his third EuroTour title of the year, following wins at the Belgian Darts Open and Austrian Darts Open.
LUKE LITTLER has taken the darts world by storm since exploding onto the scene at the PDC World Championship at the beginning of the year.
The Nuke reached the final on his Ally Pally debut at just 16 years of age – smashing records along the way.
He has then gone on to win a host of PDC events and the Premier League title – which he claimed at the O2 Arena by beating world champion Luke Humphries in May.
He also finished his first season in the World Series as the No1 ranked player.
He has joined Jude Bellingham on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list.
And the teenage titan even had to snub an invite from the WWE.
The Sun exclusively revealed that Littler is plotting to create a fitness empire.
He is also cashing in away from the Oche thanks to an Instagram side hustle.
And he’s even the face of a brand new cereal.
But he is newly single after splitting from girlfriend Eloise Milburn following a 10-month relationship.
Check out all of our latest Luke Littler stories.
Littler has already qualified for next weekend’s European Championship.
The event gets underway in Dortmund on Thursday, with the event running until the final on Sunday.