In January 2013, he was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer. He chose not to receive any chemotherapy. He said in an interview with John Wilson on the BBC Radio 4 programme "Front Row" that the doctors told him he only had nine or ten months to live. He also said during the interview that he was going to do a "farewell tour" of the UK set for March. When he finished his tour, he announced that he was going to spend his final days recording a farewell album with Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who.