Monty Python's Eric Idle Opens Up About Emotional Cancer Battle

"Monty Python" star Eric Idle is opening up about his battle with pancreatic cancer.

The comedy legend was diagnosed three years ago by a friend who was a doctor and had Idle undergo a series of tests to assist him in his studies in preventative medicine.

Idle chose to keep the news private until last month when, in an essay for Time, he revealed he was cancer free. Now, speaking with the Guardian in a new interview, Idle explained why he chose to keep his diagnosis from the world.

'I didn't cry till I knew I was going to live," he said. "I just got on with it. I'm British! You try not to show emotions in the face of danger."

Idle told his wife of 41 years Tania and his children Carey, 49, and Lily, 32, but chose not to tell friends — at least not until he received the all-clear in order to spare them from worry.

Within 10 days of his diagnosis, Idle was in the hospital undergoing a five-hour surgery to remove the cancer. For the next three years, he would receive biannual tests, only recently learning that he was cancer free.

"I've been living six months to six months on tests. I didn't know how much longer I had. I saw my doctor recently, and that's when I got the real shock. I asked him how long I had left, and he said: '10 years,' " Idle explained.

"He also said: 'Had you been two weeks later you wouldn't have got to see the surgery; you would have been straight into chemo,' which is unpleasant and not much use at that stage."

Since then, Idle has been on a mission to spread awareness for cancer research. He has teamed up with Stand Up to Cancer and recently appeared on "The Masked Singer" as part of the campaign.

"That's why I came out about it. I wanted to say, Look, I was very lucky and I survived, and so can you,' ” he said. "I've heard from so many people how much that meant to them. And that chokes me up. That makes me cry."

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