Music legend in cancer battle

Andrew Lloyd Webber revealed he is fighting prostate cancer...

11:50 26 October 2009

Iconic composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it has been disclosed.

A spokesman for the 61-year-old released a statement, saying that the condition was currently in its very early stages.

It read: "Andrew is now undergoing treatment and expects to be fully back at work before the end of the year.”

Lloyd Webber, who found international fame after composing hits such as ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and ‘Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat’, was set to judge a BBC talent show next year.

It is thought that the show which ignites a national hunt to find Dorothy and Toto for a new theatrical production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ will still go ahead.

Lloyd Webber’s other well known musicals include the theatre hits ‘Evita’ and ‘The Phantom of the Opera’.

A sequel to the multi-award winning ‘Phantom of the Opera’ entitled, ‘Love Never Dies’ was launched earlier this month, and is due to open in February 2010.

Branching out into TV, the legendary composer has also fronted three successful BBC series which cast leads for West End musicals - ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?’, ‘Any Dream Will Do’ and ‘I'd Do Anything!’

Prostate cancer affects around 35,000 men in the UK each year and kills just over 10,000.