Bargain Hunt Eric Knowles' harrowing battle with 'death sentence' childhood illness

Bargain Hunt: Eric Knowles relived his childhood experience in a BBC show (Image: BBC)

Bargain Hunt's Eric Knowles is known for being one of the upbeat presenters on the BBC hit show. However, he suffered a turbulent period as a child when he was hospitalised over fears he had cancer.

After weeks of testing, Eric was finally diagnosed with glandular fever rather than leukaemia.

Back in 2017, he featured on a BBC programme called Matron, Medicine and Me, looking at the development of the NHS through his own personal experience.

The BBC said: "Although being severely ill, his family were spared a disease that was then a death sentence."

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Bargain Hunt: Eric Knowles is a presenter on the show (Image: BBC)

During the show, which is no longer available to watch on iPlayer, Eric relived his childhood experience by travelling the route he would have taken to hospital in a 1960s ambulance.

He met with oncologist Dr Margaret Rokicka to discover how his diagnosis was made. He also discovered other advances that have allowed the NHS to cure most childhood leukaemia.

The experience included some profound moments, including meeting a young patient who was receiving treatment.

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Remembering his experience as a porter at the auction house Bonhams, Eric spent a shift with hospital porters Steven Shaw and Andy McHale.

Proud of his northern roots, he travelled to Manchester to visit the hospital that was chosen to launch the NHS back in 1948.

To round off the emotional experience, Eric visited the daughter of the Burnley paediatrician who treated him when he was a child. Today Eric, 71, is seemingly living his life to the full.