TOM Parker stripped off for The Real Full Monty to “save cancer patients’ lives” just two years before being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
The former Wanted singer, 32, opened up about why he wanted to take part in the stage version of the popular film in an unearthed interview.
The show helps raise awareness for prostate and testicular cancers, two of the most prevalent in men.
Tom said it would be worth stripping off he could save “one person’s life”, two years before his diagnosis.
Speaking to Bradford Zone, he said: “The whole purpose of the show is to raise awareness for prostate and testicular cancer and that in iteself was enough for me to take part.
“If us doing this can save one person’s life by then getting checked by a doctor, then it is totally worth baring all.”
The devastated singer, who is a father to a 15-month-old daughter and has another baby on the way, has stage 4 glioblastoma.
In an interview with OK! Magazine, the emotional star said: “I’m still in complete shock, it’s so much to take in.”
The star is being supported by his Wanted bandmates including Max George and Jay McGuinness, who today told him: “We love you.”
Tom’s wife Kelsey, who is 36 weeks pregnant, said: “It has been a crazy six weeks. We had an inkling that something was wrong in July, but we never could have imagined it was this.”
Tom said the diagnosis didn’t feel real and added: “I knew something wasn’t right, but I never expected it to be this. You never think this will happen to you.”
The average life expectancy for his illness ranges from between three months to 18 months from the time of diagnosis.
Tom decided not to ask for a prognosis and insists he will beat the illness to have a future with his children. He said: “I’m going to be here, I’m going to fight this.”
The star suffered a seizure in July and took himself to A&E where he was put on a waiting list for an MRI scan.
Six weeks later he had another more serious seizure during a family trip to Norwich and was rushed to hospital.
Kelsey was not allowed to be by his side because of coronavirus rules, and Tom was alone when he was told he had stage 4 glioblastoma.
Tom’s condition is the most common high grade cancerous primary brain tumour in adults.
It begins in the brain and is often quick to spread. The aggressive cancer is difficult to treat and is resistant to treatment, as the cells within the tumour are not all of the same type.
