Chris Hoy called 'inspirational' after moving interview on cancer diagnosis

Watch: Sir Chris Hoy says 'there's a lot of life left to live' despite terminal cancer diagnosis

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This Morning viewers have called Sir Chris Hoy and his wife Lady Sarra Hoy "inspirational" as he said "there's a lot of life left to live" despite his terminal cancer diagnosis and her multiple sclerosis.

Six-time Olympic cycling champion Chris was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer last September, but last month shared that he had been given two to four years left to live. Meanwhile, Sarra was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis just after Chris found out about his cancer.

The couple also spoke about how they had been talking to their two young children about what was happening to them.

What, how, and why?

Sir Chris Hoy and his wife Lady Sarra Hoy shared devastating news for their family in October - Chris had been given two to four years to live after a 2023 stage four prostate cancer diagnosis. Sarra has also been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and the couple are parents to 10-year-old son Callum and seven-year-old daughter Chloe.

However, despite their diagnoses, the couple gave a moving interview to This Morning on Tuesday where they spoke about all of the positives for their future and Chris said: "There's a lot of life left to live," as viewers called them "inspirational".

Chris spoke about getting to know Duran Duran's Andy Taylor, who also has stage four cancer, and explained how the musician had given him hope by sharing his own treatment that left him symptom free.

Read more:

• Cancer diagnosis was biggest shock of my life, says Chris Hoy (The Independent, 1 min read)

• Sir Chris Hoy rediscovers 'purpose and drive' due to campaign for cancer tests (Edinburgh Live, 4 min read)

• Chris Hoy issues update on terminal cancer diagnosis and says 'there is hope' (Wales Online, 2 min read)

Chris said of speaking to Taylor: "There's your glint of light, if it works for one person, it might work for me. He phoned me up, such a positive guy, and he gets what I'm experiencing right now. He gave me hope. I thought, how can he be so positive? In the early stages, you can't imagine yourself laughing again, you can't imagine having joy in your life again. These things don't come back overnight, they take a long time.

"Now, I'm pain free. Everything is under control for the moment and there's a plan for the next stage of treatment when the current stage stops working. You have a plan, you adapt and you accept it, and you appreciate the here and now because none of us know what's coming."

The couple also spoke about their charity cycle, the Tour de Four, which Chris is hoping will change attitudes to what stage four cancer means and give people hope.

He said: "When you get the worst possible news, not everybody is as lucky as myself, some people don't have as much time, but for now I'm fit and healthy and I'm going to crack on and raise hopefully a huge amount of money, and change perception of stage four cancers. Actually, there's a lot of life left to live."

One viewer commented on X: "It’s heartbreaking what the national treasure Sir Chris Hoy is going through he doesn’t deserve this I feel for his family and friends stay strong Sir Chris the nation is with you."

Someone else wrote: "What an inspirational incredible Man...... Sir Chris Hoy. How he's still so positive is just mind blowing! Not just a Great man But hes Our greatest ever olympian."

Another person added: "Sir Chris Hoy’s amazing, I’m not sure I could keep as calm & level headed as he is if I had terminal cancer."

Many viewers were moved by the interview as one wrote: "I adore Chris Hoy and his wife. Sending so much love to them both and their children xx"

Another commented: "Huge admiration for @chrishoy a wonderful, selfless human being. We should all take a leaf from his book in the way he looks at life, and is dealing with his illness. Big love to him and his beautiful wife Sarra."

Someone else added: "Power couple right there. What incredible humans Sir Chris Hoy and Lady Sarra are. And it’s so true, tomorrow is promised to no one. Just live in the here and now."

Another person agreed: "Sir Chris Hoy is just an all-round incredible individual. No matter what life throws at him he attacks it with humility. Wish the world had more people like him."

How Chris and Sarra Hoy have spoken to their children about illness

The couple said that the toughest part of their diagnoses had been navigating how to speak to their young children about it.

Chris said of being diagnosed: "I felt sick, I felt nauseous, the room started spinning, I had to get up, I couldn't sit still. You can't ever prepare yourself, you never imagine yourself in that situation. A million thoughts were running through my head, the first one was how are we going to tell the kids."

Sarra added: "We wanted to protect them...We were really honest with them but at the same time, not give them information that they needed to carry yet. As time has gone on we have developed this sense of hope and looking to the future. We're giving that to our children as well, that there's nothing to be feared of, just keep going and look to the future."

Talking about how she was coping, Sarra said: "You get a bit of mum strength. In amongst the fear, I felt this incredible sense of courage come over me."

She added: "We've both had to learn our way around medical diseases together, and once you're in it, you can cope with so much more than you think. A big sense of courage amongst the fear is what's taken us forward."

Chris also said that he had worn an ice cap during chemotherapy, a method of reducing hair loss, because of his son Callum.

He said: "I wasn't that fussed, I haven't got that much hair as it is - if it goes, it goes. But it was a big thing for Callum. He knew of people who'd gone through cancer treatment before, in his mind he thought I'd drop him off at school in the morning with a full head of hair, come back in the evening with nothing."

This Morning airs on ITV1 at 10am on weekdays.