Illness and Death
Castle was found to have lung cancer in January 1992. He was predicted to live only another 6 months. Castle underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy and went into remission later that year. A non-smoker, he blamed his illness on passive smoking during his years of playing the trumpet in smoky jazz clubs. On 26 November 1993, Castle announced that his illness had returned, and once again underwent treatment in the hope of overcoming it. Several months later, he carried out the high profile Tour of Hope to raise funds for the erection of the building that would become the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, which was – and still is – the only British charity dedicated entirely to defeating lung cancer. By this stage, however, his condition was deteriorating and recovery was looking highly unlikely.
During and shortly after Castle's illness, many smoke-free restaurants and cafes were awarded the Roy Castle Clean Air Award to denote their adherence to a (then voluntary) smoke free regime. The award, although now defunct given the advent of smoking bans, remains a matter of pride for various establishments, and many such venues continue to boast of the award.
His final contribution to Record Breakers was aired at the end of the series ending in mid-1994, although the programme continued until 2001.
He died on 2 September 1994, two days after his 62nd birthday.
His widow Fiona worked with the charity for many years after her husband's death, and was a key figure in campaigning for the British smoking ban which came into effect in 2006 and 2007, and has seen smoking banned in virtually all enclosed public places.
Roy remains a notable figure in popular culture in the UK, partially due to the cult status of his work on Record Breakers. He is, for example, immortalised by the naming of the Roy Castle award for debate at Dollar Academy. A new development in Port Glasgow shall also feature a street named Roy Castle Avenue.
Welsh hip-hop collective Goldie Lookin Chain referenced their admiration for Castle in their song "Thru Space and Time".
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