Derek Francis promotes Maggie's on radio show The Sunday Show

Former showbiz exec Derek Francis, 53, was told he had two years left to live just before the pandemic struck. 

He says the first year of that has been lost to loneliness during the pandemic, but an opportunity to host a radio show has given him something positive to focus on – especially when he got the chance to live out a dream by interviewing Lorraine Kelly.

I have always loved Lorraine, she is so full of fun and mischief. I was so delighted when she agreed to be on my show.

We talked about everything, from being Scottish to sitting on her famous sofa, and of course about my cancer. She was an absolute delight – my only other dream now is to get to sit on her sofa!

The Sunday Show, on Incapable Staircase online radio station, is a mixture of music requests and interviews, though Derek makes the most of his airtime to raise awareness of living with cancer and the support of Maggie’s.

In the last six months Derek has interviewed Miriam Margolyes, his close friends, Corrie’s Sue Devaney and the incomparable Su Pollard, plus our own Chief Executive Dame Laura Lee.
 

Derek, who lives in York with his beloved dog Milo and who worked for 20 years behind the scenes for many music and TV companies, including with many famous faces, said: 

Lockdown has been an incredibly lonely time, I had just been told I had two years left to live just before the pandemic struck and then it was just me and Milo. 

It is really tough just watching the clock tick away. When I got the chance to host the radio show, I just had a strong urge to use whatever time I have left to spread happiness, to overcome loneliness, to raise awareness of living with cancer, to help promote Maggie’s and to leave a legacy.

First diagnosed less than a year before his cancer returned, Derek was treated with extensive radiotherapy and chemotherapy before being given the all clear.  

Then in January 2020, tests showed his cancer had returned and spread to his chest. He is now undergoing treatment to slow the spread. 

You can read more about Derek in The Scottish Sun.