Chef Tim Bilton, 54, has announced that his stage 4 cancer is now dormant, seven years after he was diagnosed with a terminal prognosis. Bilton, who has been featured on BBC's 'Great British Menu' and Channel 5's 'On The Farm', shared the news on Instagram, describing himself as "grateful, scared and emotional."

Bilton was first diagnosed with melanoma, a form of skin cancer, in his eye in March 2013. At the time, he was at the peak of his career and planning to open a second restaurant. The cancer returned in 2015, and despite treatment, it significantly impacted his sense of taste. After nearly three years cancer-free, Bilton received a stage four diagnosis in 2019, with the cancer present in his left leg and kidney.

"It’s been 13 years of what I can only describe as utter rubbish," Bilton wrote on Instagram. "My body has definitely been to hell and back and to be honest I’m not the man I was before my diagnosis... But more importantly I’m still here and have been able to see my boys grow."

He credited his oncologist for not giving up on him and shared the news of his clear scans and dormant cancer. "Today we had an emotional phone call to say all my recent scans are clear and my stage 4 cancer is dormant," he stated. "13 years on and I have been signed off….it's over for now."

Bilton's battle has been long and arduous. The melanoma initially returned in his face in 2015, leading to an eight-hour surgery that removed a lump, half his saliva glands, and lymph nodes. This was followed by six weeks of daily radiotherapy, which caused severe side effects, including mouth ulcers, difficulty swallowing, and a complete loss of taste. His weight dropped significantly, and he described looking "like the elephant man" after the surgery and losing his hair.

By the time of his stage four diagnosis in 2019, the cancer had spread to his leg and kidney bones. He made the decision to sell his restaurant, The Spiced Pear, in 2016 to focus on his health.

Despite the challenges, Bilton expressed gratitude for his family's support, thanking his wife Adele, their sons Henry and Charlie, and Adele's brother Joe. He concluded his post with a message of hope: "If you’re reading this there is still hope. So hope really did carry us through…."

Fellow 'On The Farm' host Helen Skelton was among those to offer congratulations, calling it "Wonderful news for a wonderful man."