'I found out I had cancer after spotting an unusual warning sign in my teeth'
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A Meat Loaf impersonator noticed something while watching back a television interview and found out he had stage four mouth cancer. Peter Young, 67, from Blackpool, only spotted the gap in his teeth when reviewing footage of himself speaking to the BBC following the death of the rock star. He later discovered during a dental check-up that it was a symptom of the cancer.
Diagnosed in December 2022, Peter is now cancer-free and credits the early detection for saving his life. He said: "Had Meat Loaf not died, I don't think I'd be here any more. I wouldn't have done the interview, and I wouldn't have known. The likelihood is, I would have been dead.".
Having performed as Meat Loaf for around 15 years before the star died, Peter acknowledged he didn't visit the dentist "often enough" and wouldn't have looked for signs of cancer if he hadn't seen the change in his teeth. "It's a bit of a lesson for everyone, that," he remarked.
Reflecting on his diagnosis, Peter shared: "The guy who diagnosed me suggested I wouldn't be able to sing again. That kind of broke me a bit, that. I've been doing it for 30 years, it was my living. I was about to retire, but I would never retire from singing.".
The singer, who has taken his act around the globe, first realised something was amiss after being invited onto the BBC to discuss the passing of Meat Loaf - real name Marvin Lee Aday - in January 2022. Seven months later, upon noticing a gap in his teeth, Peter decided he wanted implants to rectify the issue.
