Young & the Restless fan favorite Eric Braeden revealed he is battling cancer and currently undergoing immunotherapy. The veteran actor, 82, who has played Victor Newman on the CBS soap for 43 seasons, shared a Facebook video on Friday afternoon to let his fans know he is undergoing six more weeks of the treatment in order to fight his high-grade cancer cells near his bladder. “So if you’ve seen me a little under the weather, yeah, I have been, but I will lick this,” Eric said in the clip. “This bastard aint going to get me, I’m going to get it.”
The soap star explained how a urologist made the cancer diagnosis after he was having issues with his bladder while recuperating from a recent knee-replacement surgery. “And that my friends I can tell you is one of the most painful experiences I’ve had,” Eric said of his urination issues, before adding, “I hate to be this personal but I think this may be good for some older guys who may or may not listen to this.” He then had surgery to relieve pressure on his urethra, during which doctors also removed some cancer, but a biopsy would later reveal high-grade cancer cells. “Needless to say, I was taken aback, but I was determined to deal with it,” Eric explained.
“So that’s where I am right now,” said the actor. “I’m a little under the weather, but not really much. I’ve learned now to listen to my body more and not go all out. I’m gonna get it. And I’ll be in top form again soon.”
Eric also said he is able to continue working on The Young & the Restless. “I still am happy to be able to go work. That I enjoy. It distracts me, I love acting, I love knowing I entertain people. I love your support – it means a lot.”
Back in 1980, the German-born actor, who married his college sweetheart Dale Russell in 1966, turned his three-week guest spot as Victor Newman on Y&R into a recurring role. It has lasted over four decades and garnered him a Daytime Emmy Award in 1998 for Lead Actor in a Drama Series.