Louis Walsh has shed light on the one symptom he brushed off ahead of his cancer diagnosis. The famous X Factor judge first spoke out about his ordeal with Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia (WM) last year, claiming that ‘nobody knew’ he was sick until he visited the hospital.
But looking back, Louis said he overlooked his fatigue – a key symptom of WM – attributing it to his very hectic lifestyle. “Yeah mentally and physically, I didn’t know what to do,” he said on the Nicky Byrne HQ podcast, according to the Mirror.
“When I got checked, they didn’t find it initially. It’s a rare one… but I’m in remission, I’m fine. They can manage it.” He then urged: “Please, for anyone reading this, and you don’t feel well, please, please go and get checked. If this interview encourages one person to go to a doctor, then this has all been worth it.”
Louis first shared his private health battle during a stint on Celebrity Big Brother in 2024. His illness, WM, takes place when blood plasma cells develop unusually in the bone marrow, according to Blood Cancer UK.
In turn, this can hinder the development of healthy blood cells while potentially making the blood thicker, preventing its flow. Macmillan outlines that common symptoms include weakness, fatigue, paleness or breathlessness due to anaemia, in addition to easy bruising, bleeding, and severe night sweats.
Speaking on the reality show, Louis said at the time: “I was sick, and I think nobody knew I was sick… I had cancer – a mild version, a rare one… in my blood. I didn’t even know that I had it until I went to the hospital. They they checked me, checked me, checked me, then they found it.”
The 72-year-old said it also affected his mental health. Pointing to his head, he added: “It’s just up here, even when I go past a hospital I almost get sick. It’s all gone, I’m fine. It was just the shock of being sick and that word – nobody wants that word.
“I have it blocked out, it’s just a reality check, you see so many people sick and it’s terrible. In my world it was all about pop music and all that. I didn’t think of anybody getting sick or anything like that. And that was like, wow, reality check – you’re in the real world.”
While the TV star is now in remission, MailOnline reported that he was undergoing chemotherapy when agreeing to take part in the new Boyzone documentary. The famous X Factor judge founded the boyband in 1993, propelling members Ronan Keating, Shane Lynch, Keith Duffy, and Mikey Graham to stardom.
A source told the publication: “Louis was really ill at the time, but made the effort to appear on the programme. He was having chemo for his blood cancer, so wasn’t looking his best and it really took it out of him.
“You will see in the documentary that he complains he is tired, but when Louis makes a commitment he stands by it.”