Wilko Johnson believes he "shouldn’t be here" after battling cancer.
The ‘Game of Thrones’ actor was given the all clear in October following a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer, and has recalled the "marvellous" time he spent fighting the illness.
He said: "I shouldn’t be here at all."
The 67-year-old star was diagnosed with the disease in January 2013 and played a series of farewell shows in the UK after admitting he had refused chemotherapy and only had months left to live.
Despite the terrifying nature of the disease, Wilko insisted it helped him put things in perspective and live life to the full while he still could.
He explained: "I had a marvellous year last year, there’s nothing like the imminence of death to make you realise you’re alive,
"Then right on top of that, the surgeons at Addenbrooke’s [hospital] decided that they could have a go at this tumour, and they did."
The Dr Feelgood guitarist was operated on in May and had a large tumour removed – a procedure which he says saved him.
He told The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2: "I think it took about 10 or 11 hours or something and they took this tumour out of me. This tumour weighed three kilos, that’s the size of a baby."
"I’d been carrying this thing on stage with me all year, my guitar used to stick out. My guitar used to rock on this tumour. Rocking away like a rocker!"
Talking of his recovery, the rocker added: "I’m getting my strength and my weight back.
"The difficult thing is now readjusting mentally."
Wilko Johnson: ‘I shouldn’t be here’
