First Dates' Merlin Griffiths re-hospitalised with bowel cancer complications

Updated
First Dates' barman Merlin Griffiths
First Dates' barman Merlin Griffiths has suffered complications following cancer surgery. (Channel 4)

First Dates star Merlin Griffiths has been readmitted to hospital with 'complications' following surgery for bowel cancer.

The 47-year-old barman from the hit Channel 4 dating show underwent 'life-saving' surgery to remove a tumour from his bowel in April and was fitted with a stoma bag.

Griffiths posted a picture of himself in a hospital bed on Instagram captioned: "Oh... Squibwibble. #complications #nhs #BowelCancerAwareness"

Read more: Adele Roberts announces she is cancer free

The father-of-one — who runs The Dog and Gun pub in Leicestershire — rose to fame mixing cocktails for nervous guests on the Channel 4 dating show and chatting to them as they wait to meet their blind date.

He announced in September 2021 that he had been diagnosed with Stage Three cancer after doctors found a tumour about 4.5cm wide in his bowel.

After undergoing surgery in April her thanked the NHS for "literally saving my life".

The reality TV star posted to Instagram after his operation, writing: "Tubes outta everywhere. Aches and pains. But no tumour."

Merlin Griffiths, EastEnders Janine Butcher and Corrie's Simon Gregson on Children In Need does First Dates
Merlin Griffiths is the friendly barman on First Dates and runs his own pub. (Channel 4/BBC) (BBC)

And since the procedure he has shared his struggle to adjust to life with a stoma bag — a pouch fitted to collect stools through a hole in the stomach following bowel surgery.

Griffiths tweeted earlier this month: "#stoma users know. My body clock wakes me at 530am daily. And thank goodness it does! 1 bag does not a night last."

Speaking about his diagnosis to The Mirror last year he said: "It’s terrifying – of course I want to live. I’ve shed a tear in private. But you can choose ‘to do’ or ‘not to do’. I chose to lead my life as normal, to stick to the facts about it, and to keep putting one step in front of the other.”

Griffiths — who has a young daughter named Alix with his partner Lucile — added: “The tumour has breached the colon.

Merlin Griffiths is barman on First Dates. (Channel 4)
Merlin Griffiths is barman on First Dates. (Channel 4) (JOSEPH SCANLON)

“It’s wanting to move into the tissues surrounding it. But importantly, it hasn’t got into the lymph yet, meaning it’s not spread.

“My oncologist said, ‘Your five-year outlook is 75 per cent [chance of survival], but we aim to cure’."

The pub landlord was diagnosed after he went to Accident and Emergency suffering from bloating, nausea and abdominal pain.

Read more: Dame Deborah James in 'limbo land' as she lives longer than doctors thought

First Dates  which also stars French Maître d' Fred Sirieix — recently aired its 18th series.

The show relocated to Manchester after 15 series filming at Paternoster Chop House in London.

Watch: Adele Roberts shares video of stoma bag amid bowel cancer treatment

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