Penny Lancaster on ITV’s Loose Women discussed husband Rod Stewart’s fitness regime and regular doctor visits after overcoming thyroid and prostate cancer
Dan Laurie Deputy Editor of Screen Time
13:40, 25 Feb 2026Updated 13:44, 25 Feb 2026
Penny Lancaster and Rod Stewart have been married since 2007(Image: Getty)
Lady Penny Lancaster has disclosed that her husband Sir Rod Stewart “is in the doctors all the time” following multiple health battles.
The rock legend, 81, received a thyroid cancer diagnosis in 2000 and prostate cancer in 2017, successfully achieving remission from both conditions.
More recently, he’s had knee replacement and ankle fusion operations as a result of football-related injuries, and whilst he’s experienced minor bouts of strep throat and Covid, he continues to stay active, performing on tour and prioritising his physical wellbeing.
Rod’s spouse Penny made her return to the Loose Women panel on Wednesday (February 25) alongside Christine Lampard, Gloria Hunniford and Nadia Sawalha.
The presenters began the ITV daytime show by discussing the question ‘have you put off visiting the GP?’, reports the Express.
‘As Gloria shared details of her latest hospital appointment, Penny suggested that men are the “worst culprits” when it comes to avoiding the doctor.
The TV personality says her husband “is a fitness freak”(Image: ITV)
The model commented: “When it comes to men in particular I think that they’re the worst culprits. My husband, who is 81 now, has just gone off on tour again, would you believe it? Fitness freak, always been fit and healthy.”
She continued: “I think that’s why he’s sort of survived the rock and roll years because he wanted to always be fit for a Sunday morning football game. But 26 years ago, when he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, that was a huge shock to him and then prostate cancer about 10 years ago.
“Once you have cancer as a diagnosis it’s like a little black shadow that’s hangs over you. So he’s in the doctors all the time so he doesn’t waste time. He’s in the gym, he’s at the doctor’s, he wants to go on forever.”
She went on: “He takes weights to the bottom of pool. He said it was Frank Sinatra who told him to help with the lung capacity, swim underwater, train underwater, so that’s why he does it.”
Penny opened up about Sir Rod’s battle with cancer twice(Image: Getty)
During another segment of the programme, Gloria disclosed she’d been informed she was “profoundly anaemic”. She said: “I had to have three pints of blood.
“My blood pressure was very low but I felt fine. I’ve since spent four weeks trying to get by energy back up, ironically enough.
“They gave me the blood and then they said my blood pressure was very low. To cut a long story short they put a camera down my throat just about a week ago and discovered that I have an ulcer.
“It’s all fixable so I’m very grateful but I think a lot of people do put off. It’s not that I’m paranoid about my health or anything, but I’ve always been proactive but I think a lot of men are pretty paranoid about going to see the doctor and it’s a big issue.”
Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 12.30pm
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