Saxon vocalist Biff Byford has announced he is undergoing treatment for cancer. The singer recently had emergency surgery, who has now revealed it was related to a cancerous tumor found on his prostate gland. Byford will now begin a short round of chemotherapy.
As a result, the band has canceled or postponed several performances, including appearances at Trutnoff Open Air in the Czech Republic, Neuborn Open Air in Germany, and their planned September tour of Spain and France, which has been pushed to April/May 2026. Despite the setback, Saxon’s November UK and Ireland tour with Udo Dirkschneider, featuring a full performance of Wheels of Steel, will continue as scheduled.
The band issued the below statement as well as a video from Byford:
“Following SAXON’s June announcement with regards to Biff’s emergency procedure we would like to share with you a special message from Biff for fans as to his ongoing recovery from cancer and all he has been going through since his recent diagnosis following the band’s Japanese tour in late April.
Biff also discusses the postponement of SAXON’s imminent French and Spanish shows until April and May of next year while he undergoes a short period of chemotherapy but has been told by doctors that his prognosis going forward is positive. All tickets will remain valid for the new rescheduled dates which will be announced on SAXON’s socials imminently.
Sadly, Biff’s treatment also impacts on the band’s forthcoming festival performances at both Trutnoff Open Air, with the band’s appearance later this month having to be cancelled, and Neuborn Open Air, also later this month, now postponed until the festival’s 2026 edition.
Biff would like to reassure fans that both the band’s special Hell, Fire and Steel UK & Ireland Tour this November will be going ahead as planned along with SAXON’s headline performance at Metal Hammer Paradise in Lübeck, Germany. The band’s Hell Fire and Steel UK Tour is currently close to being SOLD OUT, so fans are advised to grab the last few tickets quickly to avoid disappointment, as this will be the last opportunity to see SAXON this year in UK and Ireland and to hear the band’s classic Wheels of Steel album played in full for the last time from start to finish.”
Tour Dates:
11/04 Belfast, UK @ Ulster Hall
11/05 Dublin, Ireland @ Olympia
11/07 Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
11/08 Sheffield, UK @ Octagon
11/09 Glasgow, UK @ O2 Academy
11/11 Newcastle, UK @ O2 City Hall
11/13 Bristol, UK @ Beacon
11/14 Wolverhampton, UK @ Civic Hall
11/15 London, UK @ Eventim Apollo Hammersmith
11/16 Cardiff, UK @ The Great Hall
11/28 Lübeck, Germany @ Metal Hammer Paradise
