In an interview he said - 

"It was a great shock, but I have been told to expect to make a full recovery.  When you are told you have something like cancer, it is a shock. But the cancer specialist said: 'I will assure you, you will not die of this'. I am concerned about it, of course, but I am not frightened of it."

Sir Michael said he continues to live "a normal life", aside from the "distraction" of his five weekly sessions of radiotherapy.

Describing his treatment as "extraordinary", he said had not felt any pain or discomfort.

"If anything, it's boring," he said. "You have to lie there completely still, for six minutes.

"But I have had no side effects at all."