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John Tesh defies the odds as TV star ‘still fighting’ cancer 10 years after grim prognosis

John Tesh reveals how wife Connie Sellecca saved his life during prostate cancer battle. The former TV host credits faith and marriage for survival.

U.S. NewsBy Sarah MitchellMarch 9, 20263 min read

Last updated: April 5, 2026, 6:49 AM

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John Tesh defies the odds as TV star ‘still fighting’ cancer 10 years after grim prognosis

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John Tesh is continuing to battle cancer ten years after doctors gave him 18 months to live.

"I was given 18 months to live," the former TV personality told Page Six. "So, I’ve been fighting cancer successfully, still fighting it. It’s still under treatment, on and off."

Tesh, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015, explained that his cancer is "metastatic now," which means that while he's not in remission, he's "stable."

"They will let it grow for a little bit, and then get me back on treatment, back and forth," he said. "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 SAYS 'FAITH-FILLED' WIFE SAVED HIS LIFE AFTER DOCTORS GAVE HIM 18 MONTHS TO LIVE

John Tesh was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015. (Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

In November, the former "Entertainment Tonight" host opened up about his battle and explained how he maintains positivity and strength.

"I'm incredibly grateful, because it has been literally a 10-and-a-half-year journey [from] when I was first diagnosed in 2015," he told "Good Morning America."

"The doctors said, 'You should probably get your affairs in order because we can't operate on this,'" Tesh recalled.

The "Roundball Rock" songwriter said his "faith-filled" wife, Connie Sellecca, was his saving grace.

John Tesh continues to battle cancer ten years later. (Scott Gries/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)

"I just was like, 'OK, this is over.' And so, there [were] some tears. It's like getting a brick in the face," said Tesh. "And my wife, who is a faith-filled Italian girl from the Bronx, just rose up, and she [said] that 'this is not us.'"

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Tesh admitted his cancer diagnosis nearly tore the couple's marriage apart as he struggled with alcohol and gave himself a "pity party."

John Tesh credits his wife, Connie Sellecca, for helping him stay positive. (R. Diamond/WireImage for The Recording Academy)

"It breaks couples apart, prostate cancer, and it almost did us," Tesh told the outlet. "I was not behaving. I was drinking too much, and when you're a terminal patient, you can get any meds you want, and so, I was – Connie calls it – I was in the middle of a pity party, and so she just said, 'Come on, snap out of it,' and she wasn't having any of it."

"The expectation that I was gonna live as long as my Aunt Omegene, which is 100 years old, it was a battle, and it was a couple's battle, and we've won it," the singer added.

Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.

SM
Sarah Mitchell

National Reporter

Sarah Mitchell reports on American communities, social trends, and national stories shaping the country. A graduate of Columbia Journalism School, she has reported from all 50 states on issues ranging from education policy to immigration reform. Her feature writing has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists.

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