PAUL'S FIGHT
Paul Burrell breaks down in tears as he opens up about prostate cancer battle
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PRINCESS Diana’s butler Paul Burrell broke down in tears on today's Lorraine as he opened up about his prostate cancer battle.
The former royal insider, 64, is having surgery today, just weeks after revealing he had the illness.
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In a pre-recorded segment talking viewers through his treatment pathway, Paul became tearful.
He said: "I’ve just been to see the consultant. It’s a lot to take in. So, I’ll go in for a two-hour procedure and they will inject radium into my prostate. And then recovery.
"Then, for the next three weeks, I’ll have to go to radiotherapy appointments and hopefully at the end of that, I’ll be all clear.
"This isn’t about me. It’s about the big picture. It’s about the way forward.
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"I get so emotional because of the hormone therapy, which she said will continue after the operation. So, I’m going to be in a mess for a very long time. But you have to trade off certain things."
The ex-butler, who was described by Diana as her “rock”, fought back tears as he told of his diagnosis during an interview with Lorraine Kelly.
The former royal servant said he was diagnosed last year when he underwent a medical for a TV show, believed to be I’m A Celebrity All Stars.
Paul told host Lorraine: "I’m tired, you see I’m on hormone therapy, and it’s sort of robbing me of my testosterone.
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"So my beard isn’t growing like it should, I’m tired, and emotional, and I get hot flushes."
"When did you find out?" Lorraine asked.
"In the summer I had to go for a medical for a TV programme I was doing and their duty of care was that I had a full MOT.
"And out of that came a surprisingly high PSA, I had no idea what a PSA test was. Apparently it is a chemical that is released by your prostate gland.
"So, I went to my GP and he said this is unusual, he examined me and said, 'you look to be fairly normal.
"So he sent me for an MRI scan and of course that was the window."
Gripped with emotion, Paul continued: "I was wrapping Christmas presents, wondering, 'Will I be here next Christmas?'
"I went to America to tell my boys over Christmas, and they said to me, ‘Dad we need to see more of you'."
Paul said cancer "knocked me sideways" but said Prince Harry attacking him in his new book Spare was a huge blow.
He told Lorraine: "Why did he call me 'mummy's butler? Why couldn't he have come to me personally and said he wasn't happy.'
"I've always defended him, always, and now I'm thinking, 'Harry, you've lost the plot. There has been a shift in that man and he's changed. And I don't know the answer. I'm saddened by it."
Paul, who was the late Princess Diana's closest confidante, urged viewers to go for a 'simple blood test' which can detect the early signs of prostate cancer.
He added: "There are thousands of men out there who don’t have symptoms like me. I was lucky, they caught it out there.
"You’ve got loads of lovely female viewers who can say to their men, go get tested."
The ex-butler split from his second wife Maria in 2016 and revealed he was gay a year later. He is now married to Graham Cooper.
He added that after the operation to remove his lump he can no longer have children, but said his sex life has not been impacted.
He said: "I don't want any more children, I've got two wonderful boys, that's fine.
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"But you have to talk about the other problems too with your partner, I've got a very strong partner and we talk about everything.
"Not everything finishes because you lose your prostate. It can continue to be as good as it ever was in the bedroom."
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