Rod Stewart's wife, Penny Lancaster, opened up about the difficult time he had when he was diagnosed with cancer. Since getting the all-clear, the rock icon maintains a healthy lifestyle through a balanced diet, regular exercise and frequent medical check-ups, but there was one point when his health looked a lot bleaker.

In her book, Someone Like Me, Penny opened up about the impact of Rod's cancer diagnosis in 2017. After agreeing to keep the news confidential until they had further information, Penny ultimately turned to antidepressants and therapy to manage the weight of the secret. Following the health scare, Rod had an emotional moment with Penny, as she revealed that he had promised her 20 more years together. In an interview with The Times, Penny revealed that Rod has a relaxed attitude towards death, stating: "He feels like when the time's up, the time's up, but he'll go in a flame of laughter and fun."

Rod had fought cancer for two years before receiving the all-clear in July 2019. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017 during a routine appointment. Doctors discovered he had an aggressive form of cancer, but Rod was determined to keep the matter private while they awaited further test results.

Penny admitted in her book that the wait for results was "excruciating", yet Rod remained positive and organised his forthcoming tour while still in the recovery room.

Meanwhile, Penny was quietly fighting her own battles, revealing that keeping the secret proved tremendously difficult and she was compelled to distance herself from her support network until matters had moved forward. In her book, she described it as an "agonising wait".

Penny explained: "I felt incredibly low, and my depression spiralled further, and I realised that to be strong for both myself and Rod, I might need some help too."

She temporarily began taking anti-depressants, which she has since described as the "life-raft" she needed.