The Young and the Restless actor Christian LeBlanc has revealed that he has been battling cancer, which is the reason he has been absent from the show in recent months after being diagnosed with the disease in June. However, he is now in remission and is hoping to return to the CBS soap during the holiday season.
LeBlanc opened up about his health issues in an interview with WWL-TV, a CBS New Orleans affiliate, and he acknowledged the role fans played in helping him identify his illness.
(Credit: Francis Specker/CBS)
According to LeBlanc, it was viewers at home who noticed his left eye had gotten “kind of wonky,” which led him to get checked out by a doctor. Making his debut in 1991 as Michael Baldwin on the long-running soap, LeBlanc has been appearing on the show regularly since 1997, so it’s understandable that fans would pick up on physical differences.
Ultimately, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a common blood cancer that he points out also affects House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. As LeBlanc shared, he saw other noticeable differences in his own life before being diagnosed, such as a ring falling off of his finger “without friction,” unexpected weight loss, and he said, “my nose started bleeding on set.”
This led to the discovery of a tumor in his left sinus cavity, which had been pressing on the optic nerve. “I had never spent a day in the hospital in my 65 years until this year,” LeBlanc further shared. Once detected, the cancer had to be treated quickly as it’s “fast-moving.”
During his battle, LeBlanc lost 35 pounds in just two months, and was directed by doctors to “‘Eat like it’s your job,’” LeBlanc said, adding he responded by saying, “‘I was raised to fulfill this promise.”
As he continues to live in remission, LeBlanc’s return to Y&R is finally on the books as he revealed Michael Baldwin will be back for the Thanksgiving episode. He’s been absent from the series since July of this year, making it a celebratory occasion indeed. Stay tuned for more updates and news about LeBlanc’s return as we gear up for the holiday season.
The Young and the Restless, Weekdays, 12:30pm ET/11:30am PT, CBS