Trevor Sorbie has revealed he does not want a funeral as he told how he has just weeks to live.
The hairdresser, 75, to the stars shared the sad news that he had terminal bowel cancer last month.
He said at the time: ‘I lost a lot of blood one night and was unusually disturbed so went to hospital. They told me I had bowel cancer and I had a little panic attack.’
Speaking to The Times, Trevor insisted he does not want a funeral, describing it as ‘too upsetting’.
He said: ‘When the time comes my ashes will be interred with [his wife] Carole’s and our little dog.
Trevor Sorbie has revealed he does not want a funeral as he told how he has just weeks to live
The hairdresser, 75, to the stars shared the sad news that he had terminal bowel cancer last month
‘If the cancer reaches my brain, then I’ll accept it. But until then, I’m in charge and I’m going on my terms.’
In the same interview, Trevor told how he has stopped chemotherapy and has been told be may not see this Christmas.
He said: ‘I can’t face anymore of that poison. When I asked a nurse if I’d still be here at Chrismas, she said, “We don’t know, Trevor.” And that annoyed me. I’ve got cancer in my body, but not in here.’
Appearing on This Morning last month alongside his wife Carole, Trevor revealed the sad news and said he found out in June he has around six months left.
He said: ‘I lost a lot of blood one night and was unusually disturbed so went to hospital. They told me I had bowel cancer and I had a little panic attack.
‘I looked at Carole and she looked at me, we were both speechless, I didn’t know what to say. So I went and had a big gin and tonic.’
It then spread to his liver and he had a six and a half hour operation, he came back and he had another six and a half hour operation.
Carole said Trevor’s last scan in September was when they realised ‘no treatment is going to work’ as the growth is now too large and too close to a major blood vessel.
Trevor insisted he does not want a funeral, describing it as ‘too upsetting’ (pictured in 1994)
Trevor said: ‘When the time comes my ashes will be interred with Carole’s and our little dog’
He has, up until recently, been going to work two days a week as it is ‘his medicine and my life’.
He told Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard: ‘I never wake up thinking, ‘Oh poor me, I’ve got cancer’ or feel sorry for myself.
‘Sixty years I’ve worked passionately to achieve beyond my wildest dreams. When I go in it’s my staff, I’ve had them for 30 years, I’m just one of the team.
‘I had a nurse come round the other day to assess me and as I asked ‘Will I make Christmas?’ She said ‘I don’t know Trevor’.
‘I said ‘I damn well will’. The brain rules the body. The heart plays a big part as well but that is the engine.’
Speaking of how she’s feeling, Carole said: ‘It’s totally overwhelming most days, but I get my strength through this man – he’s guiding me through a good death – living a good life and dying a good death – and up until then I hadn’t thought about that.
‘What we do every day now is show thanks for every day that we have and wake up together and it’s all the simple things.
‘Our little dog is pure medicine, we have a wonderful family, and we are supported by the whole Trevor Sorbie family… and we are all being guided by Trevor.
She added: ‘I did struggle and was crying a lot but Trevor and my son encourage me to go to counselling and I’ve actually started bereavement counselling which I didn’t know you could do before and they are going to guide me through and hold my hand and up until two years, or however long it takes after the event.
A message posted on Trevor’s official Instagram last month paid tribute to his incredible career
‘I do feel very supported and feel lucky I have that support… but more so from Trevor than anyone because he’s incredible.’
Trevor has one child, daughter Jade from a previous marriage.
Trevor said he has found strength in his own charity My Wig Hair, which teaches hairdressers how to cut wigs in such a way to make them look like they are real hair.
The charity came to be after the hairdresser was involved in helping his brother’s wife create a wig that looked like real hair as she battled with bone cancer.
He said: ‘I’ve got a charity and I’ve helped many women through cancer, cutting wigs for them. People handle it in different ways.
‘There is no one way, no right way, wrong way. It is however that person deals with it. If you get this right (the brain) and it’s easy for me to say get that right.
‘You can fight this. Doctors have even said you’re breaking medical science, you shouldn’t be here right now. Last night we went out and just had a lovely dinner.’
A message posted on Trevor’s official Instagram on Wednesday paid tribute to his incredible career.
‘This morning, Trevor Sorbie MBE will be appearing on This Morning on ITV to reflect on his remarkable 45-year career and the journey he’s been on since his cancer diagnosis five years ago.’
‘From creating the revolutionary haircut that became The Wedge 50 years ago to opening his first salon in 1979, Trevor’s creativity, kindness, and passion have transformed the world of hairdressing. His influence, from trend-setting styles like The Scrunch and The Wolf, to mentoring countless hairdressers, continues to inspire us all.’
‘As Trevor now reaches the end of his cancer treatment, we know his time with us is limited, but his spirit remains focused on celebrating life and the remarkable legacy he has built.’
Trevor is the creator of the wedge haircut and a four-time British Hairdresser of the Year winner. He was appointed an MBE in 2004.
His celebrity clients include Paul McCartney, Helen Mirren, Grace Jones, Bryan Ferry, and The Beach Boys.
The hairdresser was also a regular on daytime shows such as This Morning and The Wright Stuff, offering advice or giving makeovers.
Following his emotional interview, viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to commend him on his bravery and said urged him to ‘keep fighting’.
They wrote: ‘sending hugs to Trevor and his wife xx’
‘what a man! a genuine true legacy of a man! & the 2 of them, this team! Carole & Trevor are just the dream team. two awesome humans. Trevor, we love you. & we will never ever forget. thankyou thankyou thankyou for your work, your talents ie: that ‘wedge’ & more important, your beautiful smile’.
‘So lovely to see you today Trevor, happy memories of the makeovers back in the day. By being on the show you have no doubt helped others. Sending lots of love to you and your lovely wife. x’
‘Honestly God bless Trevor. I don’t know how Ben and Kat held it together. What a gorgeous man and it’s so so sad he will be gone soon… God bless’.
‘What an emotional/uplifting interview. What an incredible man keep fighting Trevor’.
Looking back on his incredible career Trevor revealed he didn’t plan to be a hairdresser originally.
He said, ‘I wanted to be an artist. But I got bullied at school and my dad was a barber, and he said come into the salon… and I found hairdressing easy! I was cutting people’s hair within three months, so I was still quite creative.’
Of his statement styles from the 70s and 80s, Trevor admitted, ‘At the time you have no idea you are creating anything groundbreaking. You’re just doing what you feel comes natural. I mean I invented scrunch drying as a bit of an accident – to speed up the process a little bit.’
