The tennis legend was overcome with emotion as he spoke about his friend and fellow Olympian HoyMurray was overcome with emotion while talking about Hoy(Image: BBC)

Sir Andy Murray got choked up as he recalled the moment he first realised his friend and fellow Olympian Sir Chris Hoy was living with terminal cancer.

Six-time Olympic gold medallist Hoy was diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and announced last year that his condition was terminal, after a scan found that primary cancer in his prostate had spread to his shoulder, pelvis, ribs and spine. The legendary cyclist was then told by doctors that he had between two and four years left to live.

Despite the devastating diagnosis, which was cruelly followed by his wife Sarra being diagnosed with an aggressive form of multiple sclerosis (MS), Hoy has tackled life with Stage 4 cancer with extraordinary bravery, helping to raise millions of pounds for charity and contributing to a significant surge in men getting tested for cancer through tireless campaigning.

A new BBC documentary – Sir Chris Hoy: Cancer, Courage and Me – is set to take viewers inside the 49-year-old’s life following his diagnosis, as he opens up about his journey living with the disease and how his experiences are helping him to inspire others.

The programme, which airs on BBC One on Thursday night, will see Murray pay tribute to Hoy and recall the text message he received from the cyclist that sparked the realisation his cancer was terminal.

Murray paid tribute to Hoy as an “all-round great person”

“After I retired at the Olympics last year, the following day I went to the [Team] GB house and he interviewed me,” the three-time Grand Slam champion recalled as he sat down to be interviewed for the documentary.

“I messaged him afterwards. I didn’t want to ask because there was lots of people around, like, ‘How are you doing? You seem really good.’

“And he was like, ‘Well no, it’s been a really tough year, but I’m doing this charity bike ride about changing perceptions around stage four cancer’.”

Murray continued: “I said to my wife, I was like, ‘I think he has stage four cancer based on the message’. But I didn’t want to ask.

“It was literally, maybe the next day, two days later, that he announced it publicly for the first time.”

Becoming emotional, the former tennis star then briefly had to halt the interview as he wiped away tears, before adding: “I was really upset by it.

“It’s obviously cruel because he’s a young guy, he has a young family. He’s obviously dedicated pretty much his whole life to being healthy, fit and active. For the next few days, every moment where I had a break, I was thinking about him and his situation a lot.

“He’s an all-round great person,” Murray continued, as he paid tribute to his friend. “Any time I’ve spent time with him, he’s always been incredibly humble. He’s been incredibly open and honest in his interviews.

“He’s obviously got this terrible diagnosis, but now [he asks], ‘What is it that I can actually do about that?'”