Saxon's Biff Byford says his chemo for bowel cancer is 'done'

He's looking forward to Saxon's UK and Ireland tour next month

Biff Byford on stage with Saxon
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 2nd Oct 2025

Saxon frontman Biff Byford says his chemotherapy for bowel cancer is “done”, and he’s looking forward to hitting the road on the Yorkshire metal icons’ UK and Ireland tour.

Back in July, Saxon axed 10 European summer tour dates so Biff could undergo a then-unspecified emergency procedure that required a six-week recovery period.

A few weeks later, 74-year-old Biff revealed that the operation was to remove a “small tumour” from his prostate gland after he was diagnosed with bowel cancer.

In a new video update, Biff has confirmed his chemo is ‘done’ and he’s currently rehearsing for Saxon’s November tour and laying down vocals for their new album.

"Hi, it's Biff here from Saxon,” he says in the clip. “I want to give you an update. So, yeah, I've done the chemo now and I'm gonna be getting fit now, ride the bike.

Saxon's 2025 band line-up

“I'm doing some vocals for the new album and rehearsing for the tour which starts in Belfast (on Tuesday 4th November). We're gonna be doing the 'Wheels Of Steel' album complete, obviously, in the set, with a lot of other songs as well.

“(Saxon’s support act) Udo (Dirkschneider) is gonna be doing 'Balls To The Wall', the Accept album, a brilliant album. So he's gonna be doing that completely.

“I think Tygers Of Pan Tang in Newcastle are gonna do a special setlist. And we've got a new band called Untamed Silence with us on two shows, Manchester and Sheffield.

“So, yep, it's gonna be great. We're looking forward to it, and we'll see everybody there. A few tickets left in some shows, so get your tickets bought, and come on."

Saxon's tour visits Belfast, Dublin, Manchester, Sheffield, Glasgow, Newcastle, Bristol, Wolverhampton and London before concluding at Cardiff The Great Hall on Sunday 16th November.

Alongside performing ‘Wheels of Steel’ in full to mark its 45th anniversary, Saxon will also treat audiences to other metal anthems from their distinguished back catalogue, including 2024 album ‘Hell, Fire and Damnation.’

Tickets to all UK dates are on sale from Planet Rock Tickets now.

Following the autumn trek, Saxon will headline the opening night at Bloodstock 2026 on Thursday 6th August.

Saxon’s UK & Ireland tour dates:

NOVEMBER 2025

Belfast Ulster Hall – Tue 4th

Dublin Olympia – Wed 5th

Manchester O2 Apollo – Fri 7th

Sheffield Octagon – Sat 8th

Glasgow O2 Academy – Sun 9th

Newcastle O2 City Hall – Tue 11th

Bristol Beacon – Thu 13th

Wolverhampton Civic Hall – Fri 14th

London Eventim Apollo Hammersmith – Sat 15th

Cardiff The Great Hall – Sun 16th

Buy Saxon tickets

The real names of famous rock stars, including Biff Byford:

Cozy Powell’s real name: Colin Trevor Flooks


Alex Lifeson’s real name: Alexandar Živojinović

'Lifeson' is a semi-literal English translation of the Yugoslavian surname Živojinović, which means 'son of life'

Ginger Baker's real name: Peter Edward Baker


John 5’s real name: John William Lowery


Yngwie Malmsteen’s real name: Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback


Rudy Sarzo’s real name: Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont


Eric Carr's real name: Paul Charles Caravello


Vinnie Vincent’s real name: Vincent John Cusano


Tina Turner’s real name: Anna Mae Bullock


King Diamond’s real name: Kim Bendix Petersen


Joey Tempest's real name: Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson


Michael Monroe’s real name: Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm


Mikkey Dee’s real name: Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou


Jonathan Cain’s real name: Jonathan Leonard Friga


Nikki Sixx's real name: Frank Ferrano


Steven Adler’s real name: Michael Coletti


Axl Rose's real name: William Bruce Rose


Bon Scott's real name: Ronald Belford Scott


Fish’s real name: Derek William Dick


Eddie Vedder's real name: Edward Louis Severson III


Peter Criss’ real name: George Peter John Criscuola


Freddie Mercury's real name: Farrokh Bulsara


Flea's real name: Michael Peter Balzary


Perry Farrell's real name: Perry Bernstein


Geddy Lee’s real name: Gary Lee Weinrib


Mick Mars' real name: Robert Deal


Tré Cool's real name: Frank Edwin Wright III


Courtney Love's real name: Courtney Michelle Harrison


Pat Smear's real name: Georg Albert Ruthenberg


Gene Simmons' real name: Chaim Klein Witz


Spike’s real name: Jonathan Gray


Iggy Pop's real name: James Newell Osterberg, JR.


Alice Cooper's real name: Vincent Damon Furnier


Slash's real name: Saul Hudson


Mike Dirnt's real name: Michael Ryan Pritchard


Ronnie James Dio's real name: Ronald James Padavona


Brody Dalle's real name: Bree Joanna Alice Robinson


Skin's real name: Deborah Anne Dyer


Nicky Wire's real name: Nicholas Jones


Amy Lee's real name: Amy Lynn Hartzler


Bill Wyman's real name: William Perks


Izzy Stradlin's real name: Jeffrey Isbell


Paul Stanley's real name: Stanley Eisen


Vince Neil's real name: Vincent Neil Wharton


Duff McKagan's real name: Michael McKagan


Jack Black’s real name: Thomas Jacob Black


Lemmy's real name: Ian Fraser Kilmister


John Paul Jones' real name: John Baldwin


Joan Jett's real name: Joan Larkin


Eric Clapton's real name: Eric Patrick Clapp


Siouxsie Sioux's real name: Susan Janet Ballion


Rachel Bolan’s real name: James Richard Southworth


David Bowie's real name: David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones


Little Richard's real name: Richard Wayne Penniman


Sid Vicious' real name: John Simon Ritchie


Ace Frehley's real name: Paul Daniel Frehley


Lou Reed's real name: Louis Firbank


Joe Strummer's real name: John Graham Mellor


Marc Bolan's real name: Mark Feld


The Edge's real name: David Howell Evans


Meat Loaf's real name: Marvin Lee Aday


Steven Tyler's real name: Steven Victor Tallarico


Ozzy Osbourne's real name: John Michael Osbourne


Jon Bon Jovi's real name: John Francis Bongiovi


Joey Belladonna’s real name: Joseph Bellardini


Jack White's real name: John Anthony Gillis


Bono's real name: Paul David Hewson


Sting's real name: Gordon Sumner


Billy Idol’s real name: William Michael Albert Broad


Geezer Butler’s real name: Terence Butler


Pat Benatar’s real name: Patricia Mae Giraldo


Bo Diddley’s real name: Ellas McDaniel


Muddy Waters’ real name: McKinley Morganfield


Stevie Nicks’ real name: Stephanie Lynn Nicks


Doro’s real name: Dorothee Pesch


Sebastian Bach’s real name: Sebastian Philip Bierk


Joe Perry’s real name: Joseph Pereira


Jimi Hendrix’s real name: James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix)


Zakk Wylde’s real name: Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt


Maynard James Keenan’s real name: James Herbert Keenan


Blaze Bayley’s real name: Bayley Alexander Cooke


Biff Byford's real name: Peter Rodney Byford


M. Shadows' real name: Matthew Charles Sanders


Syd Barrett's real name: Roger Keith Barrett


Chris Jericho's real name: Christopher Keith Irvine


Ginger Wildheart's real name: David Leslie Walls


Paul Di'Anno's real name: Paul Andrews


Phil X’s real name: Theofilos Xenidis


Peter Green’s real name: Peter Allen Greenbaum


Nicko McBrain’s real name: Michael Henry McBrain


Noddy Holder’s real name: Neville John Holder


Steel Panther’s real names

Michael Starr: Ralph Michael Saenz, Satchel: Russell John Parrish, Stix Zadinia: Darren Leader, Spyder: Joe Lester.

Lexxi Foxx’s real name: Travis Haley


Jet Black’s real name: Brian John Duffy


Buddy Holly’s real name: Charles Hardin Holley


Elvis Costello’s real name: Declan Patrick McManus


Rikki Rockett’s real name: Richard Allan Ream


Blackie Lawless' real name: Steven Edward Duren


Maxim's real name: Keith Andrew Palmer


Rat Scabies' real name: Christopher John Millar


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