Slade icon Noddy Holder has revealed he was given just six months to live five years ago when he was diagnosed with throat cancer.

77-year-old Noddy, however, has fought the condition for half a decade and has received a new trial round of chemotherapy which has helped him fight the disease.

His wife Suzan Price, 57, detailed Noddy’s secret health battle in an emotional piece written for Great British Life on Thursday.

Over the course of the past five years, he has continued to work and earlier this year played a gig in Dorset with Cheshire musician, Tom Seals.

'It came as a total bombshell to us'

Sharing the heatingbreaking news, Suzan said: "Five years ago we were given the devastating news that he had oesophageal cancer and only had six months to live. I'm sorry if that comes as a bit of a shock; it came as a total bombshell to us too.

"We coped with it the only way we could, by hunkering down, sticking together and doing everything we could to survive it.

"We told only immediate close family and friends and I will never apologise to those we did not confide in, only to those who were forced to suffer pain and anguish alongside us as we attempted to navigate our way through this new and horrifying world."

At the time of his diagnosis, the family only told Noddy's immediate family and their closest friends. Despite this, his wife has refused to apologise to those they did not tell and said she only apologises to the people she did tell who were "forced to suffer pain".

Despite the devastating diagnosis, Noddy has remained his upbeat self all whilst defying the cancer.

He received treatment at The Christie Hospital in Manchester and underwent a groundbreaking new form of chemotherapy which has helped keep him alive. 

Suzan wrote: "There were no guarantees, no one knew if it would have any effect, let alone work miracles, but he responded well. As anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis will know, the experts never like to use the word "cure", but here we are five years later and he’s feeling good and looking great. "

Who are Slade?

Insulting you should ask in all honesty, because you put them on every year without fail. Slade earned themselves six UK Number One singles during their 25-year career.

Their biggest hit was Merry Christmas Everybody in 1973, with its memorable chorus: So here it is, Merry Christmas/Everybody's having fun.

The song is reported to bring in £500,000 in royalties alone each year.