Joe Biden's prostate cancer has metastasised beyond the bones and into other parts of his body, his son Hunter Biden confirmed in an emotional interview with the BBC's Newsnight programme. The former US president, now 83, is experiencing significant physical suffering as a result. "The cancer has spread, metastasised into his bones and further," Hunter said. "It's very painful and it's very debilitating in many respects."

Biden first disclosed his diagnosis in May 2025, less than four months after leaving the White House, describing it as an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer that had already spread to the bones at the time of announcement. A spokesman later confirmed in October of that year that he was undergoing radiotherapy and hormone therapy. A spokesperson for the former president declined to comment on Hunter's latest interview.

Despite his condition, Biden has continued to make public appearances and speak out on issues he considers important. He attended the inauguration ceremony of former President Barack Obama's presidential library in Chicago earlier this year, and is set to publish a memoir about his presidency, titled Promise Me, America, in November. "He's still doing his thing," Hunter said. "He so believes in this country." Hunter also expressed a wish that his father would voice his discomfort more openly: "I wish he would complain more, because it's not good."

Biden served as the oldest person ever to hold the US presidency, and questions about his physical health and mental acuity were a persistent feature of his time in office from 2021 to 2025. He stepped back from his 2024 re-election campaign following a widely criticised debate performance against his eventual successor, Donald Trump. His administration and aides have faced ongoing scrutiny over allegations that the full extent of his health challenges was not disclosed to the public during his term.

In the same interview, Hunter Biden also addressed the presidential pardon his father granted him before leaving office, acknowledging it was "easily criticised and for good reason" but expressing personal gratitude. Biden's deteriorating condition is likely to reignite debate about transparency around the health of senior political figures — a question that loomed large throughout his presidency.