James Van Der Beek will strip off to raise awareness for cancer after being diagnosed with the disease.
The Dawson’s Creek actor shared his diagnosis in a statement earlier this month, stating: “I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family.”
He apologised added: “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,” and apologised after loved ones discovered his diagnosis through the press
Van Der Beek, 47, will take part in The Real Full Monty, which is based on the UK show of the same name that sees famous stars strip in an attempt to get people talking about cancer and checking themselves to raise awareness of the disease.
The televised event, launched in 2017, was originally inspired by The Full Monty – an Oscar-nominated 1997 film about a group of unemployed men who decide to get involved in the stripping business to earn a living.
Van Der Beek will appear on The Real Full Monty alongside actors Taye Diggs and Anthony Anderson, former Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli, musician Tyler Posey and Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones.
In the special, six celebrities will train and rehearse for “the most revealing performance of their careers”, which will end with “a big strip-tease dance, where they will bare all in front of a live audience”.
The synopsis for the special that’s set to air on Fox reads: “Leading up to the final disrobing, the men will push their limits of comfortability, modesty and brotherhood with a series of rehearsals and experiences, both private and public, designed to build confidence and remove them far from their comfort zone and strengthen their bond as a group.”
A source told MailOnline that Van Der Beek “really wants to help others by doing this show”.
Meanwhile, The Best Man actor Diggs told PEOPLE of the special: “Embarrassingly, I thought I was just doing Anthony Anderson a favour and supporting cancer. But then once we got there and we really started to talk about these issues, everyone started opening up and we got to know each other on a different level.”
Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer which starts in either the colon or the rectum, which are both part of the large intestine in the body’s digestive system.
