John Tesh is sharing rare details of a health battle that changed the way he lived his life. The former “Entertainment Tonight” host revealed that doctors once delivered a devastating prognosis after he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2015.
In a recent interview with Page Six, the musician and longtime broadcaster recalled the moment he learned how serious the diagnosis was.
Living With a Rare Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Getty“I was given 18 months to live,” he shared.“So, I’ve been fighting cancer successfully, and I’m still fighting it. It’s still under treatment, on and off.”
Tesh said hearing those words forced him to face a difficult new reality.
In the years since, Tesh has bravely continued treatment while learning how to live with the uncertainty that comes with a long-term illness. Tesh explained that doctors diagnosed him with a rare form of prostate cancer that eventually spread.
The disease is now metastatic, meaning it remains part of his life even when treatment slows its progression.
The performer said his doctors manage the condition through a cycle of treatment followed by monitored breaks. “They will let it grow for a little bit,” he shared, “and then get me back on treatment, back and forth. It’s called pulsing, and it’s scary until you get used to it because it’s like, ‘Why am I living with cancer?’”
John Tesh Credits Doctors and Wife Connie Sellecca
Tesh acknowledged that the process was difficult to accept at first, but over time, he has learned how to navigate the ongoing fight.
He said he owes his survival not only to medical treatment but also to the people who stood firmly beside him through the hardest moments. Tesh expressed deep gratitude to the doctors and specialists at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, crediting their care with helping extend his life.
But he said the unwavering support of his wife, actress Connie Sellecca, has been just as important during the long journey.
Getty“Without my wife Connie, who has been my advocate over the years, I wouldn’t be talking,” he told Page Six. “I’d be dead. I would have been dead in 2015.”
Tesh and Sellecca have been married for more than three decades, and he says her strength and encouragement helped him keep going when the road ahead felt uncertain.
John Tesh Says Faith & Music Helped Him Through Cancer Battle
Along with medical care and the support of his family, Tesh said his faith has played a powerful role in helping him brave the devastating battle.
“We discovered in 2015 several scriptures in the Bible which were related directly to healing,” he divulged. “One of them was Mark 11:23, which was incredibly powerful, and I have it tattooed on my arm.”
Even while managing his health, Tesh has continued to stay active professionally.
He stepped away from television hosting in 1996 to pursue music full-time and went on to build a successful career as a composer and performer.
Earlier this year, he performed his well-known NBA on NBC theme “Roundball Rock” during the All-Star Game.
Tesh also hosts the nationally syndicated radio show “Intelligence for Your Life,” which airs on hundreds of stations across the United States.
Through it all, Tesh says he is determined to keep moving forward while continuing the career and life he loves.
Prayers added to the many already praying for your total recovery. Saint Peregrine is one called upon for those who believe in the power of his intercession. God bless you, Mr. Tesh!