Sir Chris Hoy reached out to Dermot Murnaghan after the broadcaster was diagnosed with cancer - a move he described as a "mental lifeline." Six-time Olympic cycling champion Hoy shared the news in February 2024 that he was receiving treatment, including chemotherapy, for prostate cancer. In October of the same year, the Team GB icon shared the heartbreaking news that his condition was terminal, with the cancer having spread to his bones. Doctors estimated he had two to four years left, prompting the 49-year-old Scot to raise awareness about prostate cancer and urge more people to undergo screenings. Upon learning of Hoy's tragic situation, former BBC and Sky News presenter Murnaghan was moved to get a health check but kept postponing it. He wrote in The Times : "Seeing friends, football matches, even walking the dog, simply life itself, just seemed to intervene, and anyway I felt fine, no symptoms," adding that two months after Hoy's sombre announcement, he began feeling "weird" during a trip to southeast Asia with his wife. Struggling to rise from bed and in severe pain upon returning to the UK, he took a taxi straight to A&E. He added: "Five hours later my world was upended. The cancer was spreading fast, and I needed immediate surgery to keep me alive." The former Eggheads presenter added: "After the numbness and shock of diagnosis, the negative thoughts come flooding in. Firstly, of course, 'How long have I got?' Then, 'Why, oh why, didn't I get that check?' hard on its heels. And perhaps the worst, 'You bloody fool, what have you done to your family?'" In a touching turn of events, Murnaghan received an uplifting call from Hoy, who had faced a similar battle. Murnaghan explained: "Numb with shock, pretty much unable to speak, I found myself listening to a calm, mellifluous Scottish brogue talking me through my own identical diagnosis, based on his experience. "Chris was on the phone. He called me after hearing through a mutual contact. It was a mental lifeline." Murnaghan has recently reported positive responses to his treatment and is feeling well. Prostate cancer remains a major health concern as the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the UK, responsible for 14% of all male cancer fatalities. Opening up about his own condition, which is understood to be terminal yet treatable, Hoy told the Sunday Times: "As unnatural as it feels, this is nature. You know, we were all born and we all die, and this is just part of the process. "You remind yourself, aren't I lucky that there is medicine I can take that will fend this off for as long as possible. Hand on heart, I'm pretty positive most of the time and I have genuine happiness. This is bigger than the Olympics. It's bigger than anything. This is about appreciating life and finding joy." Hoy also recently told TNT Sport: "I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer almost two years ago now, and it shocked me, it rocked my world. It changed everything in one sentence, you're told that's not curable, but it's treatable. So suddenly, you have this death sentence, and it's terrifying, but I'm here to show that life goes on for many people in that situation." Sir Chris's efforts to raise cancer awareness, which include urging men to undergo tests, have resulted in a remarkable 700 per cent rise in doctors' appointments. He and his wife, Sarra, were also awarded the Freedom of the City of London for their charitable work on cancer awareness and neonatal care, in addition to Sir Chris' sporting achievements as a British track cyclist.