SUPPORT: Nick Robinson will be treated for a tumour [PA]

The 51-year-old journalist, who has led the corporation’s Westminster coverage for a decade, needs an operation to remove a bronchial carcinoid tumour from his lung.

In a statement, his agent said Robinson, who is married with three children, would be “taking a short time off work over the next few weeks”.

“His doctors are aiming to get him back at work in plenty of time to cover the election campaign,” she added.

“He and his family have asked that they have the space and privacy he needs to rest and recover fully before returning to work.”

Carcinoid tumours are rare and tend to be slow growing, sometimes not causing any symptoms for several years, Cancer Research UK says on its website.

Robinson joined the BBC in 1986 as a trainee producer. He has been in his current role since 2005, having left the BBC for ITV for a short period.
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