★★★★★ 0/5

Cancer treatment for Aussie star of Spartacus: Blood and Sand

Andy Whitfield, who has hit the big time in the US cable drama Spartacus: Blood and Sand, has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

8
Leave a comment

Australian actor Andy Whitfield, who has hit the big time in the US cable drama Spartacus: Blood and Sand, has been diagnosed with cancer.

Production on the series, filmed in New Zealand has paused ahead of its second season shooting this month while he begins treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The cancer was detected in its early stages and is described as very treatable. It was discovered during a routine checkup.

“I’m receiving excellent care, and am feeling strong, positive and determined with an army of support behind me,” Whitfield, 38, said.

Action / fantasy series Spartacus: Blood and Sand has been a success story for the Starz network. Starz was so happy with the series it approved a second season before the first had even hit the screen.

Whitfield was born in the UK but trained in Queensland.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

8 Responses

  1. Grinspoon, please stick with the show, particularly from episode 2 when the John Hannah/Lucy Lawless duo really fire up. You’ll begin to see how the plot is going to develop. What has been really good is that I thought that Spartacus was just going to cream the competition in every episode, which would have made it quite predictable but in fact, he really does have to struggle his way to the top. Andy Whitfield is creating a terrific conflicting character to relate to – one moment you are cheering for him, the next wanting to slap him. But it really works in this mostly action genre. At the end of the day it is a hack and slash show with a surprisingly addictive plot, and it does make you think back to Rome. I think both shows have a place and should not be compared necessarily. Spartacus is focussed on the battles of Rome, and Rome was focussed on the many social classes and politics in Rome.

  2. I have only made it about 20 or so mins into the first episode? It was so cheesy and bad, the acting was so bad, and the action wasn’t even that exciting???

    Is it worth sticking with it????

    I did read the other day on some site people saying that the story has now sucked them in?

    So is it worth watching?

    In vaguely roman tv related news…. How come this site never reported the latest developments on the Movie for HBO’s extremely awesome series Rome. Bruno Heller has finished the script and they’re moving into getting a director and studio lined up. Titus and Lucious will be back!

    Such a shame that series got cut short 🙁

  3. awesome show – john hannah and lucy lawless really make this show – very engaging characters and some awesome one-liners. Andy is also incredibly sexy too. I have heard Starz is trying to get this on DVD and Blu-ray in Australia in November. I know, damn.

  5. It’s a surprisingly good show, both in its action/story & its depiction of Roman life (as best anyone knows). So here’s hoping he makes a full recovery both for his sake & for that of the series.

Leave a Reply