Def Lep Campbell 'inconsolable' as cancer returns

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By ( Louder ) published

Guitarist Viv to miss shows for treatment again after last year announcing disease was in remission

Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell’s cancer has returned, he’s confirmed.

Campbell, 52, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2013 and last year announced he was in remission. But he’s now battling the condition again and will step back from his duties with the band.

He says: “I’m saddened by the fact that my cancer has returned. However, I’m beyond consolation that its return will prevent me from being able to do my job for a while.

“I’m still working on a schedule of treatment with my doctors, but I will see you all very soon.”

Campbell’s treatment before last year’s remission included three rounds of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant.

Def Leppard have a string of live dates coming up, including a US trek and a UK jaunt with Whitesnake. Last year Trixter’s Steve Brown filled in for Campbell on Leppard’s live dates.

DEF LEPPARD/WHITESNAKE UK AND IRELAND TOUR 2015

Dec 06: Dublin 3 Arena

Dec 07: Belfast Odyssey Arena

Dec 09: Newcastle Metro Radio Arena

Dec 10: Glasgow SSE Hydro

Dec 12: Birmingham Genting Arena

Dec 13: Nottingham Capital FM Arena

Dec 15: Manchester Arena

Dec 16: Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

Dec 18: Wembley SSE Arena

Dec 19: Sheffield Motorpoint Arena

Stef Lach

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.