Skip to main content
LBC logo
On Air Now
Listen Now

7am to 10am

Listen Now

7am to 11am

'I had to stop': Acting legend Michael Douglas to retire aged 80 - as he opens up about health battles

American actor Michael Douglas at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
American actor Michael Douglas at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. Picture: Alamy

By Shannon Cook

The Hollywood actor said he has "no intentions" of returning to acting as he opened up about his past battle with cancer.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The Basic Instinct actor revealed that while he hasn't officially retired, he classes himself as such.

"I have not worked since 2022 purposefully because I realized I had to stop," he said.

"I had been working pretty hard for almost 60 years, and I did not want to be one of those people who dropped dead on the set. 

"I have no real intentions of going back. I say I'm not retired because if something special came up, I'd go back, but otherwise, no."

Douglas is married to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Douglas is married to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones. Picture: Alamy

Douglas opened up about his 2010 battle with cancer, having suffered from throat cancer which later turned out to be tongue cancer.

"Stage 4 cancer is not a holiday, but there aren't many choices, are there? 

Read more: Where Oasis have not sold out

Read more: Author of best-selling memoir The Salt Path accused of stealing £64k before losing house after failing to repay money

"I went with the program, involving chemo and radiation, and was fortunate. The surgery would have meant not being able to talk and removing part of my jaw and that would have been limiting as an actor."

Douglas is married to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, with Douglas adding that he's "happy to play wife" while Catherine continues to work in the entertainment industry.

Douglas opened up about his 2010 battle with cancer, having suffered from throat cancer which later turned out to be tongue cancer.
Douglas opened up about his 2010 battle with cancer, having suffered from throat cancer which later turned out to be tongue cancer. Picture: Alamy

While fans were disappointed to hear the Falling Down actor would not be returning to the silver screen, he gave them a glimmer of hope when he said there was "one little independent movie" that he's "trying to get a good script out of".