A surgeon set to perform potentially life-saving operations on radio star James Valentine has detailed the complicated process of the operation, which is only performed a dozen times a year.

The 62-year-old announced on Thursday that he had cancer and that he would undergo surgery in the coming weeks to have his esophagus removed.

The ABC Radio Sydney afternoons host shared his diagnosis in a first-person piece written for the national broadcaster’s website.

On Thursday afternoon, Valentine discussed his condition further on air and interviewed his surgeon, Associate Professor Douglas Fenton-Lee, from St Vincent’s Hospital.

Valentine has a four-centimeter tumor where his esophagus and stomach meet.

Dr. Fenton-Lee said the operation would remove most of Valentine’s esophagus, along with a quarter of his stomach.

“We’re then going to raise your stomach – we actually shape it so that it’s a tubular structure and we raise it and join it together at your neck, so we replace your esophagus with your stomach,” he said on ABC Radio.

He added that the procedure is not common.

“The unit would do about 12 cases a year and I did the majority of them,” the surgeon said.

The news of Valentine’s diagnosis shocked many across the country, especially those who had listened to his current radio for more than two decades.

One of his many benefactors is NSW Premier Chris Minns.

“I grew up with James on the radio – our WhatsApp chat with the extended family blew up yesterday afternoon, almost with sadness,” he told ABC Radio Sydney.

‘[James] is a wonderful institution in Sydney and I sincerely wish him the best… I think all of Sydney is behind him.”

Mr Minns said he and his wife Anna had even been callers on the Valentine’s Day programme.

Mrs. Minns was a regular on the What I Live With segment, where she joked about her husband’s annoying habit of pausing the TV to laugh after a joke.

Fellow ABC radio host Richard Glover said: ‘Few people have spread so much joy among their fellow citizens and we need you to spread even more quickly.’

Valentine previously revealed that after a friend’s birthday party in December last year, he realized something was wrong.

He said he started choking and gagging after shoving down a massaman curry.

At that time, his wife advised him to go to her sister’s endoscopy clinic for a gastroscopy.

In January, Valentine began five weeks of chemotherapy and radiation.

“I was immediately given chemo and radiation, but only a mild dose intended to shrink the tumor and clean out the body before surgery,” he wrote.

‘I got tired from the radiation, the chemo made me feel like my whole body was laced with liquid aluminum foil, but I was able to go to work, turn on the radio and even do a few gigs with the saxophone.’

The surgery to remove Valentine’s esophageal cancer will be performed in a few weeks.

“I’ll probably feel like crap for a long time afterward,” he wrote. ‘It is likely that I will recover, even if it may take several months.’

Valentine presented the ABC’s Sydney afternoon program for 20 years before holding down breakfast for two years until late 2023, when it was announced he would return to his old shift.

He told listeners on Friday that he had “no doubt” he would be back on the air as soon as possible, and thanked those who offered messages of support.

“Not to be too macabre, but it’s like being at your own funeral and the eulogies were a lot of fun,” he said.

Veteran television and radio broadcaster Tim Webster will fill in for Valentine in his absence.

CAMPBELL HATTON is back in action this weekend as he fights for his first professional title as a boxer.

Hatton, son of legendary British hero Ricky, has had fourteen fights so far, winning them all with varying degrees of success.

1

But now he’s taking his biggest step yet as he fights James Flint for a Central Area title.

Hatton, 23, has improved a lot since his first fight and will be hopeful that a win against Flint can lead him to further title fights in the next twelve months.

But Flint is fit and is making progress for their duel.

“It’s a great fight for both of us. If I beat him, a lot of doors will open and I can really push on,” he said.

“Same goes for him, if he beats me. I’m not a sore loser. I’ll shake his hand, and that could open bigger doors for him too. It’s one of those fights.”

When is Hatton vs. Flint?

• Hatton’s game against Flint takes place on Saturday, March 23.
• The fight will take place at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield.
• Dalton Smith vs. Jose Zepeda will headline the night of action.
• Ring walks for Hatton vs Flint can be expected around 8pm UK time.

What channel is it and can it be streamed live?

• Hatton vs Flint is shown live on DAZN in the UK as part of your subscription.
• You can subscribe to DAZN in the UK for £9.99 a month, which gives you a whole year of promotion.
• There’s also a flexible pass worth £19.99 per month available, which you can cancel at any time.
• You can also pay £99.99 for the year upfront, and this is the cheapest option.
• The fight will be available for live streaming on your mobile or tablet via the DAZN app.
• You can also watch DAZN 1 HD on Sky channel 429.

Hatton vs Flint full card

• Dalton Smith vs. Jose Zepeda; Super lightweight
• Sandy Ryan vs. Terri Harper; For Ryan’s WBO women’s welterweight title
• Ishmael Davis vs. Troy Williamson; Light middleweight
• Campbell Hatton vs. James Flint; Super lightweight
• Nico Leivars vs. Piotr Mirga; Super bantamweight
• Liam Cameron vs. Hussein Itaba; Light heavyweight
• Leli Buttigieg vs. Bartlomiej Stryczek; Light middleweight
• Connan Murray vs. Edgar Kemsky; Middleweight

James Valentine was at a friend’s birthday party last December when the first signs that something was seriously wrong with the ABC radio star suddenly appeared.

“My friend Tom has been celebrating his 40th birthday every few years for a while now and it’s a good party,” Valentine remembers.

“But as usual the bar was free and there was no food.”

Help arrived with three takeaway containers of Thai food delivered to the pub’s party venue about 9.30pm and Valentine gobbled down the massaman beef ‘like a dog blowing up Pal’.

What happened next led the 62-year-old to a doctor’s surgery and a diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

A few minutes after eating the takeout, Valentine began choking and gagging. His wife Joanne said: ‘That’s not right.’

As Valentine clung to a pole in the street outside the hotel, Joanne insisted he visit her sister’s endoscopy clinic for a gastroscopy.

After the procedure, a gastroenterologist confirmed that Valentine was not suffering from some kind of “old man’s reflux disease.”

“It’s bad,” the doctor said.

‘You have a 4 cm tumor where your esophagus meets your stomach.’

The ABC Radio Sydney afternoon show host’s life changed in an instant.

Valentine revealed details about his cancer diagnosis on Thursday in a first-person piece written for the national broadcaster’s website.

At the beginning of that article, addressed directly to his listeners, the former saxophonist for Melbourne band Models said, “I’m doing absolutely fine right now.”

In January, Valentine began five weeks of chemotherapy and radiation. He will soon undergo surgery to remove his esophagus.

“I was immediately given chemo and radiation, but only a mild dose intended to shrink the tumor and clean out the body before surgery,” he wrote.

‘I got tired from the radiation, the chemo made me feel like my whole body was laced with liquid aluminum foil, but I was able to go to work, turn on the radio and even do a few gigs with the saxophone.’

The operation to remove Valentine’s cancerous esophagus will be carried out in a few weeks, during which his stomach will be stretched and attached to his throat to replace the digestive organ.

“I’ll probably feel like crap for a long time afterward,” he wrote. ‘It is likely that I will recover, although that may take several months.

“I will never eat massaman beef again and I think we’ll all be happy about that.”

An ABC spokesperson said there had been an outpouring of care and concern for Valentine since Thursday, with listeners offering messages of support.

Valentine presented the ABC’s Sydney afternoon program for 20 years before holding down breakfast for two years until late 2023, when it was announced he would return to his old shift.

There was an indication that Valentine was unwell on his Facebook page in February when a fan posted: ‘Please stop with mondayitis, we’d love to hear from you 5 days a week on (Radio Sydney).’

ABC management had known about Valentine’s diagnosis since December, but the announcer decided not to tell his listeners until this week.

“I thought about telling the ABC Radio Sydney audience earlier but decided I would just come back to the afternoons,” he wrote.

“It’s a cheerful show overall, so let’s enjoy ourselves there for a few months instead of being in the shadow of my illness all the time.”

Valentine said he expected to be off the air for two or three months, he wrote in his piece.

“I’m going to make sure I’m fully recovered and my stomach stays attached to my neck before I try to broadcast again.”

James Martin has lifted the lid on his incredible car collection, which is worth more than £5million and includes a classic Ferrari and Colin McRae rally car.

The 51-year-old TV chef, who recently stepped out with his new girlfriend Kim Johnson, is known as a petrolhead and has a huge collection of vehicles.

After starting out as a chef, James has become a household name after hosting both Saturday Kitchen and Saturday Morning.

But James is not only known for his skills in the kitchen, but also for his love of cars, which he keeps in a garage at his home in Hampshire.

The quaint car village is haunted by beautiful hand-painted garages, which he showed off during a 2022 appearance on Jodie Kidd’s show, Kidd in a Sweet Shop.

It is thought that James first fell in love with motorcycles when he was given a toy Ferrari 288 GTO as a young boy.

James now owns a real Ferrari, the 1965 275 model in silver, which underwent a major restoration, including the installation of a new engine.

James admits he still gets behind the wheel to take it for a spin, describing the classic supercar as ‘absolutely incredible’.

The car has also undergone a lot of restoration work, including the installation of a new roll-off engine.

Elsewhere in his collection is a beautiful Ford GT40, which he collaborated with three-time British touring car champion Jason Plato.

It even won the Whitsun Trophy at Goodwood Revival and competed in hill climbing in Switzerland.

James said: “It’s a great piece of kit. Not until you turn it on and until you drive it, there is nothing like it on the road. No.

“There’s nothing like this on the road. Nothing. The dealer said ‘here we go’, and I said ‘done, sold’. I’d never driven it before.’

Another in his collection is a Ford Escort that finished second in the 1969 Acropolis Rally.

He also owns a rare Mini Cooper previously driven by British world rally star Paddy Hopkirk and Rauno Aaltonen.

Another vehicle he drives a lot is this BMW 760Li, which singer Jay Kay told him to buy.

James said: ‘A lot of people buy RSA Audis and stuff like that, but the 760Li is absolutely mega – V12, 700bhp… Mega.’

James also owns an Alfa Romeo ATL which is currently being restored.

The video of James’ car collection comes after his split of 12 years from girlfriend Louise Davies was revealed.

The celebrity chef, 51, and the TV producer, 47, first started dating in 2011 after meeting on the set of Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

But a spokesperson for James confirmed they split in December 2023 and remain close friends.

It comes as James was seen browsing watches with personal trainer Kim Johnson in Mayfair on Saturday.

James cut a casual figure for the outing as he wore a black vest over a light blue shirt and dark blue jeans.

Personal trainer Kim, 38, dressed up in a black sweater and navy jacket for the outing, teaming it with a leather miniskirt.

Kim is the ex-wife of businessman Arun Nayar, who was married to actress Elizabeth Hurley from 2007 to 2011.

Their breakup was made public after it was discovered she had a romance with cricketer Shane Warne after the split.

James Martin has announced his split from his partner of 12 years, Louise Davies, and has moved on with Arun Nayar’s ex-wife, personal trainer, Kim Johnson.

But the TV chef once had a Hollywood romance with James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, who was 12 years his senior.

The pair dated for four and a half years with James, 51, later revealing the real reason behind their split in 2008 after previously calling her ‘the love of his life’.

As James moves on with Kim, the ex-wife of businessman Arun Nayar, who was previously married to actress Elizabeth Hurley from 2007 to 2011, MailOnline takes a look at his past relationship with producer Barbara, 63.

Who is Barbara Broccoli?

Barbara – who, along with half-brother Michael G. Wilson, has managed the James Bond franchise since 1995.

She began working in the Bond series at the age of 17, working in the publicity department of The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

A few years later she was assistant director on Octopussy (1983) and became associate producer of the film The Living Daylights (1987).

Her most important role was as producer of the Bond films starring Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

Last year, Barbara said there was a “long way to go” in casting Craig’s replacement.

The actor called it quits two years ago after a fifteen-year stint spanning six films: Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Specter (2015) and No Time To Die (2021).

How did they meet?

The chef and the film boss first met at a charity auction in 2001 when Barbara, then 41, paid £18,000 to have him cook her a meal when he was 29 years old and a star on the rise.

They hit it off immediately and James cooked for her again at her birthday party, leading to a blossoming romance.

Reflecting on their romance, James previously wrote for the Mail: ‘Six weeks later I visited Barbara to prepare a meal for her and five friends. The evening was hilarious – and we just hit it off.

‘I didn’t know she was co-producer of the current James Bond films with her half-brother Michael G. Wilson. I just thought she was a wonderful woman.

‘The next day I told my then personal assistant Erica about the evening. She decided to play Cupid and called Barbara’s PA. It turned out that Barbara’s PA was trying to organize a surprise for her birthday, so I offered to cook.

‘Thus began my longest relationship, the most surreal, exciting and unforgettable four and a half years of my life.;

Hollywood lifestyle

While James was doing well at Ready Steady Cook and had books published, Barbara was at the ‘very top’ of Hollywood.

He recalled, “We had been together about three months when she invited me to go to Los Angeles with her. Her house was huge; the living room alone was twice the size of my house.

‘What am I doing here?’ I kept thinking. “How did this happen?”

“One day, while Barbara was away, I opened the door to a man dressed in a black suit, holding a silver plate with an envelope.

“Inside was a set of car keys with a prancing horse on the key ring and a note from Barbara that said: ‘Enjoy Beverly Hills, see you later, love B.’

On the ride was a silver Ferrari 360 Spyder, exactly the same as the black 360 I once had, but with a soft top that, let’s be honest, you have to have in Beverly Hills.

Divide

Yet it came to an end in 2008. And James wasn’t shy about speaking out about the issues they faced in their relationship.

He admitted that he was “a bit of a late starter when it came to women” and noted that when he accompanied Barbara to glitzy film premieres and hung out with the stars of Bond films, he felt “out of my depth, a spare part.” .

James – who had since moved on to Miss England 2001, Sally Kettle – explained to the Daily Mail in October 2008 how their age difference and wealth were getting in the way of their relationship.

Barbara had showered the chef with gifts, including a Picasso painting, and had once offered to buy him a £180,000 Aston Martin, but James confessed that his ‘manly pride’ stopped him from accepting such extravagant purchases.

James noted that while their age difference did not bother him, as he “always liked independent women,” it “didn’t help matters in public.”

He confessed: ‘When we went to events, I felt uncomfortable when people looked at me, this nobody, and probably thought, “He’s with her for the money.”

Despite the obstacles they faced, James insisted: “Barbara was the first real love of my life. I still think about her a lot and always will.’

He described their breakup poignantly, writing: ‘It’s hard to walk away from someone you love and who loves you so much.

‘Maybe it was the stupidest thing I’ve done in my life, but it was probably the wisest thing. Ultimately, I think this was the best thing, not only for Barbara and me, but for her children as well.”

To proceed

After his divorce from Barbara, James moved on to Miss England 2001, Sally Kettle, in the same year, before settling down with Louise for 12 years.

The TV chef, famed for his love life, quietly parted ways with his long-term partner Louise Davies in December, but the pair have remained ‘firm friends’.

Despite being together for more than a decade, James rarely spoke about Louise, only to admit that marriage was off the table for the couple as he was “quite happy” as he was and “didn’t feel the need to spend 60,000 dollars per day’. .’

James shocked fans this week when MailOnline exclusively revealed he had quietly split from his girlfriend of 12 years Louise and moved on with Kim Johnson.

The celebrity chef, 51, and his new love interest were spotted looking at watches at a store in Mayfair on Saturday.

Kim is the ex-wife of businessman Arun Nayar, who was previously married to actress Elizabeth Hurley from 2007 to 2011.

Kim and Arun first got together after their split in 2011 and tied the knot in July 2016, but divorced the following year.

However, they kept in touch after their divorce and have been photographed together at events in recent years.

By Rebecca Davison for MailOnline

Published: 6:00 AM EDT, March 20, 2024 | Updated: 6:01 AM EDT, March 20, 2024

By Campbell Greaves for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 7:08 PM EDT, March 19, 2024 | Updated: 7:18 PM EDT, March 19, 2024

This James Bond news has shocked us And stirred.

Aaron Taylor Johnson According to rumors, he will take over the role of James Bond The sun.

Taylor-Johnson, 33, best known for his roles in films like 2010 Super awesome and 2022 Bullet trainreportedly has a ‘formal offer’, which the actor is expected to sign in the coming days.

Production on the next Bond installment will begin later this year.

Once the paperwork is complete, Taylor-Johnson will take over the iconic role of Daniel Craig, which played Bond in five films over the course of 15 years. Craig, 56, last appeared as 007 in 2021 No time to die.

The sun reported that Taylor-Johnson was in the running alongside a number of high-end competitors, including the recent Oscar winner Cillian Murphy, Idris Elba, Henry Cavill And Happy Valley star James Norton.

Just last week, Taylor-Johnson was asked about the possibility of playing Bond, which has been rumored since Craig announced his departure.

“I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role,” he said Number in an interview published on March 13. “I consider it a great compliment.”

Taylor-Johnson, who also won a Golden Globe for his performance in 2016 Nocturnal animalscan next be seen in May The autumn mannext Ryan Gosling And Emily Bluntand that of Augustus Kraven the Hunterwhere he plays the titular superhero.

As for Craig, he first played Bond in 2006 Casino royalehe said he had no regrets about leaving the franchise behind.

“No, none at all,” Craig said on BBC Radio 4’s “Best of Today” podcast in December 2022. “I have spent 17 years of my life incredibly happy making this. I literally want to spend the next twenty years of my life trying to unpick everything and put it in one place, because it was incredible. I left it where I wanted it. And that with the last film I got the chance to do that.”

During his last appearance as in No time to die, James Bond’s character appears blown up and killed at the end of the film. According to Craig, it gave the franchise an opportunity to reinvent itself in his absence.

“I don’t know if it sounds insincere,” I said [James Bond producer] Barbara [Broccoli] Way back in 2006, ‘If I make all these movies, and we do it right, can we kill him,’ and she said, ‘Yes, we can,'” Craig recalled. “I thought about myself, about my postponed career and I tried to think about how that would work, but I also thought about what they were doing with Casino royale.”

Craig continued, “They had a chance to reset with that because they went back to the beginning. I thought you’d get another chance to reset. That seems like a good move to us.”

It’s the movie role that can transform unknown actors into global megastars – and now the British have had their say on who they want to be the next James Bond.

Thousands of Bond fans have cast their votes on who they want to replace Daniel Craig in the spy film franchise.

And topping the list is Luther star Idris Elba, who was the overwhelming favorite to perform after a survey of 2,000 Britons.

In the poll, commissioned by Lottoland, the 51-year-old beat the likes of Venom star Tom Hardy, Superman’s Henry Cavill and Oscar-winning man with the golden gong, Cillian Murphy, for the prized role.

Among the other top 20 A-listers who suggested they might be in the running were some left-wing stars such as House of the Dragons’ Emilia Clarke, James Norton, Emily Blunt and Helen Mirren. The sun revealed.

Bond is known for turning those who play 007 into global superstars.

And the franchise isn’t shy about casting stars out of left field to take on the role. The late Sean Connery, one of the most recognizable Bonds, had only appeared in a series of TV films when he accepted the role of a British spy in 1962’s Dr. No, with which he achieved international fame.

But while Idris was the first choice, fans may be left disappointed after the actor ruled himself out of playing the role last year so he could focus on his deal with Netflix, where he is starring in Luther: The Fallen Sun.

Idris brought up the ongoing discussions about the takeover of Ian Fleming’s famous British spy in February 2023.

When asked about the Luther film at the World Government Summit in Dubai, he said: “It’s very dark.

‘We’ve been working on the television show for about ten years and so the natural ambition is to bring it to the big screen, and so here we are with the first film.

“You know, a lot of people talk about another character that starts with J and ends with B, but I’m not going to be that guy.

‘I will be John Luther. That’s who I am.’

In August 2022, it was reported that Idris had left ‘years of talks’ with film bosses to take over the famous role.

He was the bookies’ favorite to replace Daniel Craig as super spy, but is keen to pursue other roles – and has even submitted a proposed list to producer Barbara Broccoli of actors who would play 007.

A source said The sun: ‘Fans and Barbara wanted Idris, but he wants to create something for himself.

“However, he has put forward names to play 007. He is ‘informally’ involved in the decision-making process, because he has been in discussions with producers for so long.’

MailOnline contacted representatives of Idris and James Bond producers at the time.

At the premiere of his film The Harder They Fall in 2021, when asked if he is considered the next 007, Idris said: ‘No, I’m not going to be James Bond.’

He told it too The Express about the rumors: “I’m probably the most famous Bond actor in the world, and I didn’t even play the part.”

Idris then added: “Enough is enough. I can’t talk about it anymore.’

Despite this, Ladbrokes awarded the actor a 3/1 for taking on the role after Daniel announced that 2021’s No Time To Die would be his final appearance as the character.

The bookmakers said at the time: ‘We have seen a huge interest in Idris Elba and have reduced his odds accordingly, so much so that he is now the clear favorite in our view to replace Daniel Craig as 007.’

Tom Hardy at 5/1, Rege-Jean Page 4/1 and Richard Madden 20/1 were also rumored to be in the running.

James Bond producer Barbara previously admitted that it will take a long time to choose Craig’s 007 replacement.

The filmmaker emphasized that it’s not as simple as choosing an actor to take on the iconic role of the friendly spy.

Speaking to Variety, Barbara said: ‘It’s a big decision.

‘It’s not just playing a role. It’s about a whole rethink of where we’re going.”

Earlier that same year, the blockbuster franchise’s producer confirmed that Idris was “part of the conversation” to become the next 007.

She told Deadline’s Crew Call podcast, “Well, we know Idris, we’re friends with him, and he’s a great actor.”

“And you know, it’s been part of the conversation, but it’s always hard to have a conversation when there’s someone in the seat.”

Barbara added that Bond bosses are in no rush to name the actor as they wanted the cast and crew to enjoy Craig’s latest film No Time To Die.

She said: ‘I think we’ve decided that until No Time To Die has had its run and Daniel has been able to – well, we’ve all been able to enjoy and reap the benefits of Daniel’s wonderful tenure, we’re not going to doing. think of or talk about someone else.’

The producer also hinted at a reimagining of the franchise. explaining: ‘It’s a reinvention of Bond. We’re trying to figure out where to go with him, we’ll talk about that.”

However, she added that any casting announcements are still a ways off, saying, “We’re reinventing who he is and that takes time,” she continued. “There is no script and we can’t come up with one until we decide how to approach the next film.

“I’d say filming will take at least another two years.”