Eric Braeden, 83, best known for his portrayal of mogul Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless, shared with his fans that he has been diagnosed with cancer recently.
He learned of the devastating diagnosis while recovering from a knee-replacement surgery.
As revealed in his 13-minute Facebook Live session on Friday, Braeden, who is one of the most famous actors in daytime television, experienced prostate issues which turned out to be cancer. “Whilst recuperating from the knee surgery, I began to have problems with my prostate,” he said. “I hate to be this personal, but I think this may be good for some older guys who may or may not listen to this. It’ll happen to them.”
Doctors were able to remove the cancer during a UroLift surgery, a treatment option for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and the German-born actor had undergone a six-week immunotherapy plan.
“I’m a little under the weather, but not really much,” he revealed. “I’ve learned now to listen to my body more and not go all out. I’m gonna get it. And I’ll be in top form again soon.
“I will lick this,” Braeden continued. “This bastard ain’t going to get me; I’m going to get it.”
As for his role on The Young and the Restless, which he has held for over four decades, Braeden said it’s what keeps him going. “So that’s where I am right now,” he said. “I love acting, I entertain people. I love your support. So, whenever you have someone in the family who goes through this, support them. It can work out. Nowadays, there is so much advancement in cancer treatment, you can survive it.”
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Braeden explained that acting distracts him from the health issues and that he’s happy when he knows he entertains people.
When he first landed the role in the series, his character was supposed to be a guest character who was to last for eight to twelve weeks, but he has evolved into the soap opera’s leading male figure.
Most recently, he announced he’s cancer free, but he also opened up about the topic of retirement as he celebrated 45 years of being part of the show.
Speaking to TV Insider, the actor said, “You can’t really define someone’s success in this business. It’s a marriage of the right role, the right time, on the right network, surrounded by the right people. It’s serendipitous, really.”
Asked if he plans to retire any time soon, he firmly said “No.”
Sadly, Eric Braeden lost his home during the LA wildfires.
“It’s been kind of peculiar,” he told the publication. “Emotionally, you go through ups and downs, but we shall take it step by step. There are uncertainties regarding insurance, and it’s a very difficult situation. When I saw the ashes, I looked into the rubble and remembered my wife and my granddaughter, who we adore, sitting there before Christmas and having a wonderful conversation about her experiences and her travels. But you’re never really fully prepared for the unforeseen events in life. I grew up during the Second World War, and that was arguably worse, so some of me is optimistic. You just look forward. S***w it all.”
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