Russell Watson, the singer, disclosed that he momentarily pondered taking his own life due to the excruciating suffering caused by a brain tumor. In simpler terms, when dealing with the intense pain from a brain tumor, Watson contemplated suicide but ultimately chose not to act on this thought.
The well-known tenor, aged 58, shared that he had considered leaping off a hotel balcony. However, he was prevented by the thought of leaving his two young daughters without a father.
For several months prior, Russell had endured agonizing migraines. Eventually, in the year 2006, during his time recording an album in Los Angeles, a pituitary tumor was discovered as the cause of his pain. The doctors advised that immediate surgical intervention was necessary.
In a conversation with Kaye Adams on her How To Be 60 podcast, the renowned singer (the UK’s best-selling classical artist of all time) expressed that: ‘My world fell apart and the pain intensified – every aspect was amplified when I learned what he had just shared.’
While vacationing in Beverly Hills, I found myself lodged on the eighth floor of a hotel, an experience that marked my first encounter with such overwhelming feelings.
The intensity of this pain is indescribable; I’ve never experienced anything similar before or after. It seemed as if someone was repeatedly plunging a needle deep into the core of my head, then twisting it mercilessly.


Russell candidly shared with the Loose Women panel: “The situation became almost unbearable, and for a brief instant, I found myself on the hotel balcony. In that moment, I considered the thought, ‘I can’t take this anymore.’ It was a fleeting desire to escape.
After considering this, the image of young girls crossed my mind, realizing they might struggle without me. I returned to the room, climbed onto the bed, refreshed my face with cool water, and accepted the pain that followed.
Russell shares two daughters Becky, now 30 and Hannah, now 24, with ex-wife Helen Watson.
At age 39, Russell chose to remain in Los Angeles, dedicating himself to completing his album titled That’s Life, as medical tests determined whether the tumor was cancerous or harmless. Uncertain about his future, he felt this work might be the final piece he would produce.
He admitted, “Even though I’m not sure if it was the correct choice at the time, I kept it a secret from both my friends and family. I proceeded to the recording studio and completed the album.
As a lifestyle connoisseur looking back, I find myself reflecting on an extraordinary moment in my life. In the heat of that instance, unsure of what lay ahead – life, death, or an uncertain future – I felt compelled to create something tangible, a testament to my journey thus far. That creation was an album, and once completed, I boarded a plane, returned home, and underwent my first operation.
He had an emergency surgery lasting about five hours to take out an eight-centimeter tumor at St. George’s Hospital, located in Tooting, South London.
During his professional career, the renowned opera singer experienced additional surgery in 2007 due to a recurrence of the tumor and internal brain bleeding.


Despite fully recovering, he often feels a daily reminder of his brush with death due to the necessary medication regime after the surgery.
As a result of the harm the tumor inflicted, I’ll need to take replacement drugs and hormones for the rest of my life, with a significant focus on my pituitary gland that was severely affected. This means I have a persistent reminder of the situation. I shared this with How To Be 60.
When someone inquires about that topic, I find myself unwilling to discuss it, as it’s an old event. Yet, its repercussions persist, making it feel as if it happened just yesterday.
I need to administer daily injections and pills, specifically hydrocortisone, which my doctor warned me could be fatal if not taken consistently. This medication is crucial for my survival, as it serves a life-saving role for me, along with growth hormones.
These assorted elements make a significant impact on my well-being and emotions, yet it’s important to note that they can also influence my daily functionality and feelings.
Russell has openly spoken about his brain tumour battle over the years.
The 2024 book “Encore: My Journey Back to Center Stage” chronicles his comeback to prominence after a harrowing struggle. (Paraphrased)
After receiving his diagnosis, Russell endured debilitating treatments, underwent life-saving surgeries, received hormone replacement therapy, and fought mental health issues for several years – only to be informed that his singing career might be permanently halted.
He mentioned that the change in his diagnosis made him deeply concerned about his family’s well-being, as all he could focus on was how they would manage without him.
Reflecting on the past, it’s clear that my illness made life challenging, obscuring my vision. Yet here I am, thriving and healthy after fifteen years, a fact for which I remain deeply thankful for all eternity.
When penning a will, I often find myself focusing on my dearest loved ones. However, it’s crucial to remember that a will, similar to a heartfelt melody, can resonate deeply in the lives of many beyond those nearest to me.
As someone who has benefited greatly from lifesaving treatment, I am deeply passionate about ensuring others have access to the same opportunity. Every day, I cherish the priceless gift of time I was given, and I long to extend that blessing to as many people as possible.

In the year 2018, Russell openly discussed his distressing ordeal, acknowledging that he needs to consume a daily mix of medications just to stay alive.
In 2018, Russell shared candidly about his harrowing experience, admitting he must take a daily concoction of drugs to survive.
As a devoted fan, I can share that the artist confessed to experiencing intense fear about potentially passing away during sleep, following the reoccurrence of a tumor on his pituitary gland in the year 2007, as diagnosed by doctors.
Originally, he found himself navigating treacherous terrain, as he relied on a combination of medications just to survive, according to his interview with Best Magazine.
‘It used to get me down, I would get very depressed.
At night, I’d make my way to bed, but find myself struggling to fall asleep. This caused me distress, as I feared that if I did finally drift off, I might not wake up again.
Last year, Russell shared with This Morning that amidst my battle against the second tumor, I felt as though I had already crossed over to the other side.
After my second operation, when I regained consciousness, I recall my eyelids fluttering and seeing what looked like two pale figures. In that moment, I thought to myself, “It seems I have indeed reached heaven.
‘Then I realised it was the kids and there were tears streaming down my face.’
In the footsteps of Manchester’s own Russell, born in the bustling city and once a worker in the factories, cutting bolts, I marvel at the fame he achieved with his 2000 album The Voice. However, two years later, a storm hit my idol’s personal life as he went through a tumultuous divorce with his first wife, Helen.
Russell shared with Kaye Adams that for some time, he had been prohibited from meeting the couple’s daughters Becky and Hannah.
He confessed that it was an incredibly challenging phase in his life, mainly due to the dissolution of his marriage. This period brought about hardships, as he was unable to see his children for quite some time. As a result, he had to go through a prolonged legal process, seeking approval from a judge. The entire ordeal was exceptionally grueling for him.
‘When a court judge decided: “yes, you can actually see your children,” it was a fantastic moment.’
As a lifestyle aficionado residing on a charming farmstead in the heart of Cheshire, I find myself basking in the warmth of an exceptionally tight-knit family bond with my wife Louise and daughters Becky, 30, and Hannah, 24. We’ve grown even closer than before, nurturing relationships that bring us immense joy.
As an ardent devotee, I can’t help but confess that my initial two years were a whirlwind of global domination attempts. Those years seemed to fly by so quickly, with homesickness often overshadowed by the relentless pursuit of world conquest, scarcely leaving any time for the comforts and familiarity of home.
Despite achieving significant victories, there were moments when I stood before the mirror, questioning if all the effort was worthwhile because I had neglected crucial years in my children’s lives.

I’ve certainly made amends now, as they are incredibly dependent on me at ages 30 and 24. They’ve settled in the vicinity where I reside, and our bond is stronger and more solid than it has ever been. I would gladly sacrifice everything for my children.
This fall, Russell will kick off his Evolution Tour, marking a quarter-century of his musical career. However, he admitted that growing older has caused him to contemplate the reality of his own mortality.
He shared with Kaye Adams that as we grow older, we tend to develop a greater understanding of the amount of time we might possibly, optimistically, have remaining on Earth, which can be quite a thought-provoking realization.
Although it might seem strange, I can’t help but dread the thought of my loved ones and myself no longer being around. This thought has made me appreciate even more the things I value most in life – friendship, love, and family.
As I near the age of 60, the reality of mortality seems particularly poignant right now. A few months ago, I found myself abruptly waking up in the dead of night without any specific reason, and a fleeting thought crossed my mind: “Oh dear, one day I won’t be around in this world anymore, along with all the loved ones I cherish.” This realization has left me feeling quite distressed.
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2025-08-15 15:19