Murray Walker diagnosed with cancer

[Londoner]

Maurice Hamilton has just tweeted that Murray Walker has been diagnosed with cancer, after blood tests during his recovery from a recent fall. Thankfully, it is treatable. Get well soon Murray.

[eagleash]

If Twitter-world (Maurice Hamilton again), is to be believed, following his recent fall, Murray has now been found to be suffering from a treatable form of cancer. He is to undergo chemotherapy.
I'm sure we would all want wish him a speedy & effective recovery.

[eagleash]

Damn wasn't there when I posted mine. Someone merge.

[Jocke1]

Sucks. Pull through, Murray. You legend you.

[FullMetalJack]

Please have a speedy recovery Murray, we all wish you well. A man who defines the word legend.

[pasta_maldonado]

Hope the legend gets well soon. I doubt this will slow him down too much.

[go_Rubens]

You can pull through, Murray! You can do it!

[mario]

Hope the legend gets well soon. I doubt this will slow him down too much.

According to Maurice, although he is having to go for chemotherapy, it seems that Murray is more worried about the fact that he won't be able to go to either the British GP or the Festival of Speed at Goodwood. At least the passion seems to be burning away as fiercely as ever, and by the sounds of things he doesn't plan to let his treatment slow him down too much either - here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

[Eifelland]

This is actually really upsetting. I'm pretty sure I'm one of the older half of the forum, and to me, Murray was just as much a part of Formula 1 as any of the drivers and the teams - and he's been there just as long as any of them. Get well soon Murray

[dinizintheoven]

This is the worst piece of F1 news I've heard since May 1st, 1994. And that wasn't exactly "news", as such, because I saw it live.

Still, if anyone can pull through, Murray can. If he ever had to have an operation I'd think of him shouting "GO! GO! GO!" and commentating on the anaesthetic running through his veins... for about ten seconds.

[shinji]

He's 89. Everybody gets cancer if they live long enough.

[Alextrax52]

This is actually really upsetting. I'm pretty sure I'm one of the older half of the forum, and to me, Murray was just as much a part of Formula 1 as any of the drivers and the teams - and he's been there just as long as any of them. Get well soon Murray

I agree. I was only born in 1997 and only started watching F1 in 2002 so i didn't know about him. But listening to him on Classic F1 I now understand why he was the voice of F1. 3 moments stuck out for me. The first was that ear pitching scream when DC smashed into the pit wall in Australia 1995. The second was when he said "I've got a lump in my throat" When Damon Hill won the 1996 title. And the 3rd are tied between his Pizza Hut Advert and when he pretended to commentate on snooker

Compare Murray to Alan Partridge here and there's a massive difference and a reason why Alan Partridge makes Jonathan Legard look decent. The noise of the cars sounds like GP3.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuZD8FvCJFc

[AdrianSutil]

He's 89. Everybody gets cancer if they live long enough.

Yeah. Erm... I like you as a member Shinji... But I've found this incredibly distasteful. Sorry.

In regards to Murray Walker, I hope he's better soon. His passion and determination will help. True legend.

[shinji]

He's 89. Everybody gets cancer if they live long enough.

Yeah. Erm... I like you as a member Shinji... But I've found this incredibly distasteful. Sorry.

In regards to Murray Walker, I hope he's better soon. His passion and determination will help. True legend.

I apologise, posted that without thinking, particularly without considering your personal experience of it. That post came across as much more insensitive than I intended - what I meant was that my brother, a doctor himself, has explained to me that it is pretty much a statistical certainty that you will get cancer, it's just a case of whether you die due to something else beforehand.

Don't get me wrong, my dad and 3 of my grandparents died of cancer, so I hope you'll accept my apology. Didn't mean to offend, merely to place Walker's illness in the context of his age. I obviously also wish him the best with his recovery.

[Eifelland]

This is actually really upsetting. I'm pretty sure I'm one of the older half of the forum, and to me, Murray was just as much a part of Formula 1 as any of the drivers and the teams - and he's been there just as long as any of them. Get well soon Murray

I agree. I was only born in 1997 and only started watching F1 in 2002 so i didn't know about him. But listening to him on Classic F1 I now understand why he was the voice of F1. 3 moments stuck out for me. The first was that ear pitching scream when DC smashed into the pit wall in Australia 1995. The second was when he said "I've got a lump in my throat" When Damon Hill won the 1996 title. And the 3rd are tied between his Pizza Hut Advert and when he pretended to commentate on snooker

Compare Murray to Alan Partridge here and there's a massive difference and a reason why Alan Partridge makes Jonathan Legard look decent. The noise of the cars sounds like GP3.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuZD8FvCJFc

I almost certainly still shout 'and it's go go go' whenever the lights turn green every race.

[UncreativeUsername37]

I almost certainly still shout 'and it's go go go' whenever the lights turn green every race.

It's been a while since they did that....

[Ataxia]

Hoping Murray makes a speedy recovery.

[Sunshine_Baby_[IT]]

I hope he can get well soon.

[AdrianSutil]

He's 89. Everybody gets cancer if they live long enough.

Yeah. Erm... I like you as a member Shinji... But I've found this incredibly distasteful. Sorry.

In regards to Murray Walker, I hope he's better soon. His passion and determination will help. True legend.

I apologise, posted that without thinking, particularly without considering your personal experience of it. That post came across as much more insensitive than I intended - what I meant was that my brother, a doctor himself, has explained to me that it is pretty much a statistical certainty that you will get cancer, it's just a case of whether you die due to something else beforehand.

Don't get me wrong, my dad and 3 of my grandparents died of cancer, so I hope you'll accept my apology. Didn't mean to offend, merely to place Walker's illness in the context of his age. I obviously also wish him the best with his recovery.

Yeah it's cool mate, I accept your apology. I just got a bit irked up in the moment of it all. It's not a nice experience as you and I both know personally.

[kevinbotz]

Best wishes to Murray Walker. A veritable legend of Formula One.

[go_Rubens]

I might be in America and not have been able to listen to his commentary, but since I started watching older F1 races with his commentary, I now think he is just legend!

Goes to show he was good. I think he and James Hunt made a great duo.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

Get well soon Murray

[mario]

He's 89. Everybody gets cancer if they live long enough.

Yeah. Erm... I like you as a member Shinji... But I've found this incredibly distasteful. Sorry.

In regards to Murray Walker, I hope he's better soon. His passion and determination will help. True legend.

I apologise, posted that without thinking, particularly without considering your personal experience of it. That post came across as much more insensitive than I intended - what I meant was that my brother, a doctor himself, has explained to me that it is pretty much a statistical certainty that you will get cancer, it's just a case of whether you die due to something else beforehand.

Don't get me wrong, my dad and 3 of my grandparents died of cancer, so I hope you'll accept my apology. Didn't mean to offend, merely to place Walker's illness in the context of his age. I obviously also wish him the best with his recovery.

As you say, statistically the chances of developing cancer do sharply increase with age, and Murray, being in his 80's, would be in a particularly vulnerable age category.

Further details are now emerging via the BBC, and they do seem a bit more encouraging - Murray has explained that he has been diagnosed with cancer of the lymphatic system and, on a positive note, the doctors have spotted the signs of his condition at a very early stage, suggesting that his chances of making a full recovery are quite good. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/22946026

[dinizintheoven]

That 89-year-old Murray has a better chance of survival than my dad did at 50, with the same type of cancer (and he never made it to 51), is testament to 20 further years of progress in cancer treatment.

Though I stand by what I said about it being awful news, obviously.

[Meatwad]

Get well soon.

Murray is easily the best F1 commentator ever. My personal favorites are his reactions to Coulthard and Schumacher's crashes in Australia 1995 and Belgium 1998.

[Barbazza]

My favourite Murray commentary moment is at the end of the German GP in 87, when Johansson comes home on 3 wheels. "And...look at THIS! This is absolutely UNbeLIEVable!"

I've no idea why that's my favourite when there are so many others to choose from. I also like "I'm stopping the startwatch!" because both he and James Hunt crack up immediately afterwards.

I hope it's not for a good many years yet, but I will be very upset when Murray goes. Without him I would not have had my (admittedly brief and not particularly glorious) career in broadcasting, it's as simple as that.

[tzerof1]

Very gutted to hear about this, and I can only hope that his recovery is a complete success.

On a semi-related note, I think we all know all of what James Hunt would have to say to this tragic news.

[Jocke1]

http://youtu.be/StIQQ9DdSRc

[fjackdaw]

Without him I would not have had my (admittedly brief and not particularly glorious) career in broadcasting, it's as simple as that.

Spill the beans!

[Barbazza]

I wasn't building up the suspense, I've just been away for the weekend!

Nothing exciting I'm afraid, I started out presenting radio shows at University (while I was there I cheekily wrote to Murray asking if he could do me some jingles - he very graciously explained that his BBC contract meant that he couldn't, but I got a signed photo out of it!) and then managed to make a career in Commercial Radio for around 5 years doing the same.

During that time, my one and only experience of actual sports commentary (Carlisle Utd vs Shrewsbury Town - oh, the glamour!) was such an utter disaster that I never even harboured thoughts of going in that direction!!

[eagleash]

*Bump*
Just watching the ITV4 coverage of the Silverstone Classic 2013, which featured an interview with Murray. He looked well, said he was "absolutely fine", was now off the crutches following his broken pelvis & was not going to have to undergo Chemo.
All sounds very positive.

[good_Ralf]

*Bump*
Just watching the ITV4 coverage of the Silverstone Classic 2013, which featured an interview with Murray. He looked well, said he was "absolutely fine", was now off the crutches following his broken pelvis & was not going to have to undergo Chemo.
All sounds very positive.

Hope that's the end of it.

Happy days.

[dr-baker]

*Bump*
Just watching the ITV4 coverage of the Silverstone Classic 2013, which featured an interview with Murray. He looked well, said he was "absolutely fine", was now off the crutches following his broken pelvis & was not going to have to undergo Chemo.
All sounds very positive.

Hope that's the end of it.

Happy days.

That is indeed good news. I am happy to read this news.

[DemocalypseNow]

I wasn't building up the suspense, I've just been away for the weekend!

Nothing exciting I'm afraid, I started out presenting radio shows at University (while I was there I cheekily wrote to Murray asking if he could do me some jingles - he very graciously explained that his BBC contract meant that he couldn't, but I got a signed photo out of it!) and then managed to make a career in Commercial Radio for around 5 years doing the same.

During that time, my one and only experience of actual sports commentary (Carlisle Utd vs Shrewsbury Town - oh, the glamour!) was such an utter disaster that I never even harboured thoughts of going in that direction!!

Can't be as bad as us other hacks on F1R. 5 years radio experience? We've got to get you in as lead commentator for the live F1RWRS races!

[Cynon]

*Bump*
Just watching the ITV4 coverage of the Silverstone Classic 2013, which featured an interview with Murray. He looked well, said he was "absolutely fine", was now off the crutches following his broken pelvis & was not going to have to undergo Chemo.
All sounds very positive.

Hope that's the end of it.

Happy days.

I always liked Murray Walker, so it's good to hear he's doing ab-so-loutely FANTASTIC despite this recent health scare.