TV Travel Host Rick Steves Announces Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

TV travel guide Rick Steves announced Wednesday that he has cancer, sharing on social media that he expects to emerge from the experience feeling more grateful and wise.

Rick Steves revealed he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and plans to undergo surgery at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center-Seattle next month. However, before the procedure, he intends to film two episodes of his PBS show “Rick Steves’ Europe” in France over the next three weeks.

Once the filming is completed, Steves will return for the surgery, take a month to rest, and aim to get back to his work routine by late October. This announcement was made on his Facebook, X, and Instagram accounts.

He shared his optimistic perspective regarding the diagnosis:

“While the statistics tell me I should be just fine, I’ve been fortunate to have never spent a night in a hospital — and I find myself going into this adventure almost like it’s some amazing, really important trip. I feel good about my positive attitude — and I expect to take home some delightful, if intangible, souvenirs like: appreciating and seeing a vibrancy in the little things; appreciating the goodness in people and the treasure of friends and family; being wowed by modern medicine and the army of amazing, smart, and dedicated people that make it possible; appreciating what a blessing life, health, and this world to enjoy is; and — just in general — being more thankful.”

Rick Steves, based in Edmonds, Washington, near Seattle, spends a third of each year in Europe creating new content for his PBS show, travel guides, and tours that form the backbone of his enterprise. In addition to his television show, he also hosts the “Travel with Rick Steves” radio program, available on public radio and iHeartRadio’s podcast platforms.

“There’s a clear path forward to getting healthy,” Steves said Wednesday, likening his diagnosis to a road map for a new adventure.