First Dates barman Merlin Griffiths has shared the news that he is battling bowel cancer.

The 46-year-old - a firm fixture on the Channel 4 dating show since it started - told The Mirror that he visited his doctor in June for persistent stomach pain before tests revealed that he had a stage-3 bowel tumour.

"I thought, as most people must when they get a diagnosis, 'Oh f***, I've got cancer'," he recalled.

"I also wanted to know, what are my chances of surviving? It's terrifying – of course I want to live.

"I've shed a tear in private. But you can choose 'to do' or 'not to do'. I chose to lead my life as normal, to stick to the facts about it, and to keep putting one step in front of the other."

According to the latest statistics, bowel cancer has a five-year survival rate of over 58% in the UK, while the 10-year survival rate stands at 53%.