Sir Chris Hoy has called for a structured national approach to prostate cancer screening, arguing that the responsibility should not fall primarily on high-profile individuals to raise awareness among men about their health risks.
Speaking to a Scottish broadcaster, the six-time Olympic gold medallist said he felt privileged to use his public platform to champion screening but stressed that systemic change was essential.
It shouldn't just be down to high-profile individuals like Jeremy Clarkson or myself or any number of men who've been in a similar situation. There should be a more systematic and proactive approach to let men know about their own risk.
Hoy received his stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis at age 47 and turned 50 in March 2026. His comments come at a time when the UK's approach to prostate screening remains contested. In late November 2025, the National Screening Committee recommended against routine population PSA screening, concluding the blood test is likely to cause more harm than good, though it did advance screening every two years for men with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations aged 45 to 61. More recently, new UK guidance removed men over 50's automatic entitlement to a PSA blood test, leaving the decision to individual GPs.
Why does Hoy believe men need better information?
Hoy pointed out that approximately 10,000 men annually in the UK discover their prostate cancer too late. He described receiving a bowel screening invitation through the post on reaching 50, which prompted reflection on why prostate cancer lacks equivalent systematic outreach.
I understand the PSA test isn't perfect, you know you can get results - not false positives, but it can be that men can be treated when they maybe didn't need to be treated. But actually, I think that's not a diagnosis issue, that's a treatment issue, that's a decision for the doctors to make. I think knowing your situation is really important.
Hoy advocated for a formal process that would encourage men to take ownership of their health and understand their personal risk.
In the short term, until something more proactive happens you've got to take it on your own shoulders. It's not what you want to think about and it's always the thing you push down the list of priorities. You forget about it because life's busy.
What is Hoy's current health status and campaign work?
Hoy reported that he is
doing really wellat present, adding that
right now life just goes on. You could spent your time sitting worrying about the future but that doesn't help you in any shape or form.According to a recent interview, he has blood tests every three to six months and wants men to know they are not alone in their diagnosis.
The cyclist founded the Tour de 4 charity cycle event following his diagnosis, which he describes as
doing something positive from a very difficult situation.The event aims to
change perceptions of what living with stage 4 cancer can meanand to
bring together people who are in a similar situation to me, to bring together families, people who are remembering loved ones.He characterised it as
really a celebration of life.
Beyond his individual efforts, Hoy has partnered with former rugby player Kenny Logan to launch the Scottish Prostate Cancer Initiative, which planned to offer free PSA testing to 25,000 men aged 40 to 80 across Scotland in 2026. By late March, nearly 6,000 men had already booked into the initiative, demonstrating significant demand for accessible testing.
How does Hoy view other campaigners' efforts?
While maintaining his own focus on prostate cancer, Hoy expressed admiration for Scottish swimmer Archie Goodburn's campaign for increased brain cancer funding. He said he was
movedby Goodburn's impassioned plea to the prime minister and noted that
so far, it seems that the powers-that-be are listening.
However, Hoy cautioned against complacency when politicians respond to public pressure.
My concern is that you get a lot of publicity from something like that and then the politicians, or the people in power or whoever the decision-makers are, will do something as a reaction - 'oh yes we're going to have a chat' or 'we're going to do this', but actions speak louder than words. You want to see some practical change that will actually be implemented, not just a sit-down-and-talk and 'we might address this' and 'we'll have a look at it' because often that means 'we're just going to kick the can down the road' and nothing actually changes.He concluded by pledging continued commitment:
But Archie's not going to give up and I'm not going to give up.
What happens next?
The Tour de 4 is scheduled to take place on Sunday 6 September, starting and finishing at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome in Glasgow. Further dates and venues for the Scottish Prostate Cancer Initiative are expected to be announced during 2026, with the broader campaign continuing as an active fundraising effort. Meanwhile, the debate over PSA testing access continues: Jeremy Clarkson publicly condemned the decision to remove automatic PSA test entitlement, saying men still have a right to ask for the test.
Key Facts
- Hoy was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer at age 47 and turned 50 in March 2026
- Approximately 10,000 men per year in the UK discover prostate cancer too late, according to Hoy
- The Scottish Prostate Cancer Initiative had attracted nearly 6,000 bookings by late March 2026 for free PSA testing of men aged 40 to 80
- The UK National Screening Committee recommended against routine population PSA screening in late November 2025, citing potential harm outweighing benefit
- Tour de 4 takes place on 6 September at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome in Glasgow
