Judas Priest’s Rob Halford Reveals Cancer Diagnosis, Now in Remission

Judas Priest’s Rob Halford has revealed he was treated for prostate cancer, and it is now in remission, Heavy Consequence reports.

“I had my little cancer battle a year ago, which I got through and that’s in remission now, thank God,” he said in an interview with the outlet. “That happened while we were all locked down, so things happen for a reason as far as time sequence of events. I have nothing but gratitude to be at this point in my life, still doing what I love the most.”

Although the frontman had not made a public statement about it previously, he addressed his battle in a new chapter in the newly updated edition of Confess, his memoir from last year. In the new section, he discusses the diagnosis and said he first began treatment in the spring of 2020.

In the chapter, he said that symptoms began in 2017 and then underwent extensive testing before receiving the diagnosis.

“I felt a combination of shock, horror, and oddly, relief — at least now I know!…’Am I going to die?’ It was all I could think of,” he wrote. “I know blokes who’ve died of prostate cancer. ‘No, you’re not going to die, Rob,’ said Dr. Ali.”

Halford had prostatectomy surgery in July 2020. However, more cancer was discovered earlier this year, and he underwent radiation in April and May, and by June the cancer was in remission.

“It’s been a draining year, I can’t deny it, but I’m delighted to have come through it,” Halford wrote. “I feel like I’ve had the most thorough MOT that a Metal God can have.”

Last month, guitarist Richie Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during the band’s concert at the Louder Than Life festival. The band had been in the midst of the U.S. leg of their rescheduled 50th-anniversary tour, which has been postponed.

Judas Priest’s box set, 50 Heavy Metal Years of Music, arrived Friday.