Only Fools and Horses actor Patrick Murray shares health update: ‘The lung cancer has returned’

Actor announced that he’d been diagnosed with cancer for a second time in January

Actor Patrick Murray has shared an update on his health after previously stating that he’d been diagnosed with cancer.

Murray is best known for playing Mickey Pearce in Only Fools and Horses.

In May 2022, the 66-year-old announced that he was cancer free after previously undergoing treatment for tumours in his lung and liver.

Mere months later, in January 2023, Murray shared that he’d been diagnosed with the disease for a second time, without specifying the type of cancer.

On Monday (24 April), he made a further public update on Twitter, explaining that he “owed it to my friends” to be open about his health.

“Despite all the wonderful efforts by the medical and nursing teams at Medway, Guys and Kings College hospitals, the lung cancer has returned,” Murray wrote.

“I thought I had a painful groin strain a couple of months ago, unfortunately that turned out to be the cancer getting into my pelvis and leg bones. It has also entered my lymphatic system.”

The actor, who also has credits in projects such as the 1979 film Scum and BBC drama The Firm, went on to share brighter news about his treatment.

John Challis (left) who played Boycie and Patrick Murray who played Mickey Pearce in Only Fools and Horses (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Archive)

“I had radiology treatment last week and my oncologist is fairly confident this will stop the leg pain, and I will be up and about again,” he wrote, adding: “I will also hopefully able to get some shut-eye.”

Murray also acknowledged the positive outlook of his consultant, who is “confident” that chemotherapy treatment will be a way to keep him going “for months and even years”.

“His optimism comes not from kindness of which I know he has in spades, but advances in cancer medicine.”

The actor concluded his message by stating that he had an optimistic view for the future: “I am feeling positive with my good wife’s awesome support.”

Murray played dim-witted dodgy dealer Mickey alongside David Jason as Del Boy and Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney Trotter on Only Fools and Horses from 1983 to 2003.