First Dates barman Merlin Griffiths' health now after bowel cancer battle

First Dates barman Merlin Griffiths is one of the most recognised figures on the Channel 4 dating show, but fans were left shocked when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2021. Griffiths, 50, endured an 18-month battle after he was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer. Fortunately, Merlin survived his treatment and was given the all-clear in 2023. The TV personality has since been open about overcoming his illness and the profound impact it's had on his life. Famed for his bar-tending skills, Merlin is set to remain under medical supervision for the next two years.

He confessed that his partner was "brilliant" during his bowel cancer treatment. He has been in a relationship with partner Lucille for the last 10 years, and they share a daughter, Alix.

His romantic life stays very much out of the limelight, but he did tell Yahoo that Lucille had been incredibly supportive during his cancer battle. He said, "Honestly I wasn't driving throughout loads of that treatment. It was down to Lucille to take me into hospital every day."

Merlin continued, "Radiotherapy is a daily treatment, like five days a week. Yeah, she was driving in and out of the hospital every day for several months... She was holding down the fort here at our pub and looking after our daughter and so on while I was in hospital many times."

Away from his job on First Dates, Merlin is the owner of the Dog and Gun pub in Walton, near Lutterworth, in Leicestershire.

Merlin added, "For the operation itself, that was a good few weeks in hospital... And she [Lucille] covered all that stuff, so yeah, that's how [she's been supportive]! She's been utterly brilliant, utterly brilliant and dealt with it all just like that."

Since January 2023, Merlin has been living with a stoma bag. He has bravely documented his journey on social media, but admitted that his diagnosis has irrevocably changed him.

He told The Mirror, "My life will never quite be the same, and anyone that has gone through bowel cancer and the horrific treatment that it involves will understand. I might look whole, but I'm actually missing about 45% of my insides. It's quite a major amputation internally that I have had.

"For the rest of my life, I'll have this condition called Lower Anterior Resection Syndrome. All forms of cancers tend to have longer-term fallouts that a lot of people I don't think are aware of, but, I still approach everyday with positivity because, what else can I do. It's been difficult but I'm so grateful to be here."