Former Premier League manager Chris Hughton has revealed that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The 67-year-old has managed Newcastle, Norwich and Birmingham before taking Brighton to the Premier League for the first time in their history.
However, in April 2025, Hughton was informed that he had prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, with more than 64,000 men diagnosed with the disease each year. Mr Hughton opened up about his diagnosis in an interview with the Daily Mail and revealed he was unfazed by the news.
Of the diagnosis, he said, “Was it a shock? Yes, it was bad news, so anything like that was a shock. Was it a surprise? No, because I knew my PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels were elevated. That news didn’t scare me. I didn’t think, ‘This is going to kill me.’ And I don’t want to run away from it…
“The numbers were creeping up. To me, this is a good story. I was able to monitor it. It wasn’t a big surprise. We got there in time and it was very successful.”
“I received very good advice and was given all the treatment options and decided to have my prostate removed. My recovery is going very well. It’s been a year since my surgery and I’m feeling great. Everything is going very well. I have a lot of energy. I’m doing great,” he continued.
“It’s part of my personality to stay active and busy anyway, but it’s also about rehabilitation and keeping my mind active. I’m very happy with my prognosis and how I’m feeling post-surgery. I’m in a really good place.”
Hughton remains a regular at games around the country. Just last week, he featured in Tottenham’s Premier League game against Brighton and was recently spotted at Woking shortly after Jermain Defoe’s appointment as manager was announced.
However, Hughton’s last managerial job will be in 2024 and the Essex-born coach is unsure whether he will return to the role. “My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer the year before I was. She’s doing well, but the combination of her situation and mine has changed my priorities. They’re probably taking over my daily mindset. It’s not physical, just the demands on time and recovery.”
Meanwhile, on football matters, Hughton expressed regret at seeing Tottenham in a relegation battle. He added: “I think it’s hard to understand what position Tottenham are in. I agree with people who are trying to assess how they could get into this position. But they are. And this is football. Clubs that don’t get things right or make the wrong decisions over a period of time can find themselves in that position at any time. That’s the strength of the Premier League.”
