Yahoo News James Whale presented with special recognition award amid cancer battle
The star joked that he'd been 'stitched up' when he was surprised with the gong
James Whale has admitted he thought he was about to get a “b*********” from his boss when he was surprised with a special award for his 50 years of broadcasting.
The star – who told fans last year that he has terminal cancer – was having a meeting at TalkTV when his friend Lizzie Cundy burst in to present him with the first ever TRIC (Television and Radio Industries Club) Recognition award.
A video clip of the moment was shared on social media and showed Whale looked stunned as he gasped: “I’ve been stitched up!"
“Thank you very much indeed," he added.
Watch as TalkTV’s James Whale is surprised by Lizzie Cundy with his TRIC recognition award.@THEJamesWhale | @lizziecundy | @TRICawards | #TalkTV | #TRICawards pic.twitter.com/7QhHZwBkpu
— TalkTV (@TalkTV) May 12, 2023
"Fifty years I have managed to stay employed one way or the other.
"I got one of these presented by Sir David Frost in 1975 I think and another one in 1984 and now towards the end, excellent, thank you very much indeed!”
Sharing the clip on Twitter, Whale said: “Thank you so much I thought I was in for a bit of a b********* from the boss.
"I think I should make it clear that my two other TRIC awards were for readers’ choice in the greatest hits magazine but to get a lifetime achievement award amazing and I failed the 11+.”
During a later interview on TalkTV, the 71-year-old opened up about his battle with stage four kidney cancer.
He said: "People bounce up to you and say, 'You look well, you must be on the road to recovering.' From what I’ve got you don’t recover.
“When you’ve got level four, whatever, cancer it keeps it at bay for a bit and then it comes back.”
Whale, who turns 72 at the weekend (13 May), went on: “I never thought I'd be alive this long without any kind of illness so we’re OK.”
TRIC said the star was being celebrated for his “outstanding work and dedication devoted to the TV, radio and online industry over the years”.
TalkTV’s James Whale joins Mike to celebrate his TRIC lifetime recognition award.
Mike: “You’ve been a real inspiration to me, I love what you do.”@iromg | @THEJamesWhale pic.twitter.com/u0UsTURy74— TalkTV (@TalkTV) May 12, 2023
Chair Daniel Todaro said: “James Whale is an innovator within broadcast media as a pioneer of the talk radio and laterally the talk TV genre in the UK. So many have carved out a career in the talk genre but James remains the king of the UK talk show.
Read more: James Whale considered euthanasia after cancer diagnosis
"TRIC is not only honoured bur delighted to recognise an individual whose career has spanned many generations”.
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