Broadcasting legend and Soccer Saturday host Jeff Stelling will walk from Wembley Stadium to Adams Park in aid of Prostate Cancer UK.
The 65-year-old, who has helped raise an incredible £1.4m for the cause through his treks across the country, will conduct his 34th walk on Sunday, September 17 this year in honour of the late Bill Turnbull.
The former BBC Breakfast host sadly succumbed to the disease in August 2022 after being diagnosed with the illness in November 2017.
He publicly revealed his condition to the world in March 2018 which led to a 20 per cent increase in men booking prostate checks at their local GPs.
Yes, I’m marching again! Join me from Wembley to Wycombe in honour of the great Bill Turnbull.
— Jeff Stelling (@JeffStelling) March 13, 2023
Join me and @ProstateUK this September. Here’s more about signing up or supporting me to help beat prostate cancer: https://t.co/g99007Xgiy pic.twitter.com/3jiWC8hoBu
READ MORE: BBC Breakfast host and Wycombe fan Bill Turnbull dies aged 66
Speaking on his decision to do the 30-mile trek from North London to South Buckinghamshire, Jeff told the Free Press and BBC 3 Counties Radio on March 13: “Over the years I have done a lot of walks for Prostate Cancer.
“I’ve done 33 and I thought that would be it, but, Bill Turnbull is associated with Wycombe Wanderers and it was put to me that there was a possibility that we could do something to in Bill’s memory.
“Bill did many great things as Prostate Cancer is concerned because after he revealed he was diagnosed with the illness, there was a huge increase in the number of people who went to the doctor to get checked.
“It was around 20 per cent which was brilliant as he created so much awareness and would save so many people’s lives.
Jeff Stelling is marching from Wembley to Wycombe on Sunday 17 September in order to raise money to beat prostate cancer. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/ExIjjNkpKn
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) March 13, 2023
READ MORE: Wycombe prepare to say goodbye to the great Bill Turnbull
“Prostate Cancer is one of the easiest to treat if you catch it early.
“Tragically for Bill, it wasn’t caught early enough.
“So we felt it would be nice to do something for Bill after all the work he did for Prostate Cancer UK.
"That's why we are going to walk from Wembley to his beloved Wycombe.”
Despite the two not crossing paths in their careers and lives, Jeff openly spoke about how there were numerous similarities between himself and Bill.
From their journeys in the media industry to their age, to their love of football, the 66-year-old spoke candidly about how the late presenter came across as ‘a lovely man’, and that he hopes people will continue to raise awareness about Prostate Cancer UK.
He added: “We didn’t really cross paths so I can’t pretend to be his friend but there are many similarities in our lives.
An absolute privilege to interview one of my childhood heroes this afternoon.@JeffStelling will be doing another walk in aid of @ProstateUK where he will trek from Wembley to Wycombe in September.
— James Richings (@James_BFP) March 13, 2023
Article will be up this afternoon.#Chairboys #UnbelievableJeff pic.twitter.com/GlAXcSjwIb
“Bill and I started in local commercial radio at pretty much the same time
“We both ended up in London, we both worked for LBC, we both supported lower league football clubs in Wycombe Wanderers and Hartlepool United, we both ended up being prostate cancer supporters so there were lots of parallels, but we didn’t know each other.
READ MORE: Wycombe rename its Adams Park gantry after Bill Turnbull
“I, with the rest of the country, watched him on TV on Breakfast or on Strictly and the general conscious was that everyone thought he was a lovely man.”
Finally, the former Countdown host hopes that the attitude of men will change towards getting checked out by a doctor.
He concluded: "If you are in a risk group which is over 50 or just younger, if you have got a family history or if you’re an ethnic minority, then please get checked.
"It’s one of those things that people just don’t want to talk about and let’s be honest, men don’t want to go to the doctor and talk about anything that is below their waist.
"That’s always been the case and we need to change those attitudes but those attitudes are pretty entrenched amongst men in my age group.
"It’s an attitude that needs to need to change."
To sign up for Jeff’s March on September 17, go to www.prostatecanceruk.org/get-involved/football-march.
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