ESPN Host Jay Harris Reveals Devastating Cancer Diagnosis — Details

Jay Harris, longtime “SportsCenter” anchor, publicly disclosed that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He shared the news during a live segment on “Good Morning America” on Thursday, June 5.

Speaking with host Michael Strahan, Harris said he decided to make his diagnosis public to encourage others, especially Black men, to take their health seriously and get screened.

Harris added that his doctor is optimistic about his condition: “Per my last scan, nothing has spread, so once we, you know, take out the prostate, hopefully that will be it. That’s the goal.”

He is scheduled to undergo surgery on Tuesday, June 10. “[I] will be away from SportsCenter for about a month to recover, and then I’m coming back better than ever,” he said.

During the interview, Harris explained that several of his family members, including his father, had faced prostate cancer. The anchor has received strong support from friends, family, and ESPN colleagues.

He emphasized the importance of having open conversations about health: “We all need to talk about these things because we all have them in our families. By not talking about them, we just, really, I hate to be morbid, we sentence ourselves to death by not talking.” He also suggested that men should follow women’s example in getting regular health check-ups.

In an essay published the same day on ESPN Front Row, Harris offered more personal insight. “Over a month ago, I received news no one wants to hear: I have prostate cancer,” he wrote.

Harris acknowledged that the news, though difficult, was not unexpected due to his family history and demographic: “Prostate cancer disproportionately affects Black men. My dad had a bout with prostate cancer, which he won.”

Now 60 years old, Harris explained that prostate health had been a regular topic at his annual doctor visits. He’s also kept his 26-year-old son informed about the diagnosis, saying, “Maybe I’m oversharing at times—lol—but he needs to know.”

Harris noted that his PET scan showed no signs of the cancer spreading, but doctors will confirm more after surgery. “While that was quite the relief, I know that’s not the final word,” he penned. “My hope is that they won’t find anything extra so that I can return to work in a month or so, 100 percent healthy.”

In the aftermath of his diagnosis, Harris found support through candid talks with fellow “SportsCenter” anchors Hannah Storm and Brian Custer, both of whom have experienced cancer. He also received guidance from friends at the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

Reflecting on a recent golf trip, Harris shared how the topic of health came up among his group of friends: “The conversation changed from the stuff that guys talk about when they’re playing golf to all of our health things and our appointments. Middle-aged dudes are having some real talk. And it was a great conversation, the kind we need to have if we aren’t already.”

He noted that whenever he discusses his diagnosis, people respond with stories of their own experiences. “Oh, my cousin did the radiation,” or “My father had the surgery,” he recounted hearing. “Do you want me to ask him to call you?” Harris described this as one of the most meaningful outcomes of going public with his health news.

According to Harris, the American Cancer Society estimates that more than 310,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2025. He stated that his purpose in sharing his journey is to encourage others to be informed and proactive: “If I can use my voice to help anyone in that number, that’s what I want to do.”

Away from the spotlight of his recent diagnosis, Harris is best known for a career spanning over three decades in television and radio news. He joined ESPN in February 2003 as an “ESPNews” anchor and made his “SportsCenter” debut just months later in May.

Since then, he has remained a mainstay on the network, anchoring shows ranging from weekend morning segments to weekday broadcasts at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Over the years, he has also hosted “Outside the Lines,” “NFL Live,” “Baseball Tonight,” and coverage of the NBA Finals.

Before joining ESPN, Harris worked at WPGH-TV in Pittsburgh, where he moved from a temporary weekend reporter role to become the main weeknight anchor. His broadcasting roots go back to Pittsburgh’s WAMO-FM and American Urban Radio Networks, as well as WOWI-FM in Norfolk, Virginia.

A Norfolk native, Harris graduated from Old Dominion University (ODU) in 1987 with a degree in speech communication. He has maintained strong ties to the university over the years.