Sir Chris Hoy is pushing for a meeting with new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to press for a national prostate cancer screening programme, nearly three years after receiving a terminal diagnosis. The six-time Olympic cycling champion, now 50, was told in late 2023 that his cancer had reached stage four. He had between two and four years to live.

Speaking to the Guardian, Hoy described the moment his life changed. A routine physiotherapy visit for a persistent shoulder pain led to scans that revealed a tumour in the shoulder, and a second scan confirmed the primary cancer was in his prostate, with the disease having spread to his spine, pelvis, hip, ribs and shoulder. Around 10,000 men in the UK receive a stage four prostate cancer diagnosis each year, Hoy told the Guardian, with many cases linked to a lack of awareness about risk.

Why Hoy Believes Screening Makes Sense

Hoy told the Guardian he cannot understand why the government has yet to introduce a proactive screening system. Officials have argued that widespread testing would produce elevated PSA (prostate-specific antigen) readings in large numbers of men, leading to unnecessary treatment and its associated complications. He rejects that logic. Hoy argues the problem lies with how patients are subsequently treated, not with the act of testing itself.

He has previously urged all men over 40 to get checked and continues to push that message through media appearances and charity events.

The Burnham Connection

Hoy told the Guardian he sees Burnham’s arrival in Downing Street as a potential opening. He has met the new Prime Minister on a couple of occasions and noted that Burnham is a close friend of former British professional cyclist Chris Boardman. Hoy said he would welcome the chance to speak with Burnham directly about what practical steps could be taken to reduce the number of men dying from the disease.

His broader ambitions, as he described them to the Guardian, are threefold: raising as much money as possible for cancer charities, shifting perceptions of what life with a stage four diagnosis can look like, and ultimately helping create a pathway that screens men before symptoms become critical.

Tour de 4 Returns in September

Alongside his wife Sarra, who has multiple sclerosis, Hoy is preparing to host his annual Tour de 4 charity cycling event in September. Last year the event raised more than £3.1 million. The pair are aiming to surpass that total in 2026.

Hoy told the Guardian that receiving a cancer diagnosis can be deeply isolating, describing how patients can feel they are observing life rather than living it. He said his goal is to ensure anyone facing a similar situation knows they are not alone. He spoke about the experience after being stopped on a Glasgow street by a stranger who had recently been diagnosed and wanted to talk. Nobody should face that alone.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the UK, according to reporting by the Guardian and the Independent.