James Van Der Beek honoured amid cancer battle

James Van Der Beek is continuing to put himself out there amid his bowel cancer treatment.

The 48-year-old actor was recently pictured smiling alongside American TV presenter Craig Melvin ahead of an interview for NBC’s Today show.

Taking to Instagram, Melvin later praised Van Der Beek, saying, “Overcast and dreary outside, but James is quite the ray of positivity these days. It was refreshing and inspiring." 

He continued, "We talked about where he is on his journey, the importance of cancer screenings, and how he’s finding joy in family and faith.”

Van Der Beek revealed in a November 2024 People interview that he was “privately dealing” with the diagnosis and taking steps to manage it. 

He has been prioritising time with his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah. 

He also acknowledged his diagnosis in an Instagram post to his 1.6 million followers, apologising to those who first learned about his illness through the media.

The actor missed a Dawson’s Creek reunion event in September, organised in support of him and the charity F Cancer, due to two stomach viruses. 

Bowel cancer, also called colorectal cancer, affects the colon or rectum and is one of the most common cancers in the UK. Symptoms can include blood in the stool, rectal bleeding, or changes in bowel habits.