What is Charles Hanson's illness? Bargain Hunt star was diagnosed with testicular cancer 2 years after marrying wife Rebecca Ludlam

In August 2012, Charles Hanson, celebrity auctioneer and star of the BBC reality show Bargain Hunt, had the rug pulled from under his feet when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, two years after his marriage to his wife Rebecca Ludlam.

But the tragedy didn't end there. A month after the diagnosis, Ludlam, who was six months pregnant, gave birth to a stillborn baby boy. According to the Express, Hanson, then 36, described the following two years of his life as "devastating" and "painful" as he battled an illness while reeling from the loss of his first child.

In a statement to The Mirror in August 2013, Hanson said:

"Being diagnosed with ­testicular cancer was a real shock. I've been fit and healthy for years so you don't think something like that is going to get you. It had been a busy summer with filming and auctions, but last August, I had just got out of the shower when I noticed things felt wrong."

Charles Hanson underwent surgery to remove the tumors but unfortunately had a relapse in October 2013, while his wife was pregnant with their second child, Matilda, through IVF. As per the Express, Hanson stated,

"It was devastating and painful. It has been a tough two years, but Matilda has been a wonderful, happy baby and I am feeling well now."

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"What happened was terrible": Charles Hanson and his wife opened up about their traumatic year

2012 was a harrowing time for Charles Hanson and his wife Rebecca Ludlam, between battling testicular cancer and losing their baby. Hanson recounted the traumatic year to The Mirror and said that he was advised to get tested at the Royal Derby Hospital after discovering that something felt wrong while he was showering.

He was diagnosed with two types of cancer on his left testicle and had to get surgery to remove it on August 23, 2012. He was in the hospital for a couple of days after the operation, recovering. During his diagnosis, his doctor advised against chemotherapy to retain Hanson's fertility.

But tragedy struck just a month after the surgery. Ludlam, who was pregnant, felt no movement from the baby, which she found strange. Hanson and Ludlam rushed to the local clinic and found that the midwife was unable to find a heartbeat.

Later, scans taken at a hospital showed the horrifying truth. The umbilical cord had wrapped twice around the baby's neck and the baby had died. In a statement to The Mirror in August 2013, Charles Hanson said:

"We called our baby Thomas “Tommy” William Hanson. He was a beautiful baby boy. He was perfectly formed and had my arms and legs and my wife’s side profile. You could see his identity but of course he had passed away."

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Charles Hanson's cancer made an appearance again in 2013, while his wife was pregnant with their second child

In October 2013, Charles Hanson discovered that his cancer made an unexpected comeback while he and his wife were expecting their second child following IVF treatment.

Hanson had to undergo chemotherapy this time, leading to the loss of his hair. When he resumed his role in Bargain Hunt, the difference in his hairstyle caused fans to speculate whether he had undergone a hair transplant. It was then made public knowledge that Charles Hanson had cancer and underwent chemotherapy.

Fans and viewers of his show admired Charles Hanson for his tenacity and determination in the face of a terrible illness like cancer. Hanson, now fully recovered, is the proud father of Matilda, born in 2014, and Frederick, born in 2016.

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Both Hanson and Ludlam have written off 2012 as a "bad year." They lived together with their children in their six-bedroom Derbyshire mansion till December 2023, when Hanson was charged with seven alleged domestic abuse offenses.

Following the charges, Charles Hanson has moved out of the family home and is said to appear in front of the court on January 10, 2024, over these charges which include assault and coercive behavior.