Sir Geoffrey Boycott has been diagnosed with cancer for a second time.

The England cricketing great first had throat cancer in 2002, and overcame the disease before resuming his career as a commentator. He also underwent quadruple bypass open heart surgery in 2018.

Now Boycott, 83, says the cancer has returned.

“In the last few weeks I have had an MRI Scan, CT Scan, a PET Scan and two biopsies and it has now been confirmed I have throat cancer and will require an operation.

“From past experience I realise that to overcome cancer a second time I will need excellent medical treatment and quite a bit of luck and even if the operation is successful every cancer patient knows they have to live with the possibility of it returning.

“So I will just get on with it and hope for the best.”

Boycott was one of Yorkshire and England’s most prolific opening batsmen. At the time of his retirement from cricket in 1986, he had amassed 8,114 Test runs – the first player to pass that milestone – in 108 appearances.

He retired from the BBC’s iconic Test Match Special in 2020 after 14 years working on the programme.