Dustin Diamond has verified the bad news.
Two days after multiple outlets reported that the Saved by the Bell alum was under the care of doctors in a hospital, it has now been confiirmed that he has cancer.
This, as you can easily imagine, has been the worst case, feared scenario.
“At this time we can confirm that Dustin does have cancer,” reads a new statement on the actor’s Facebook page, sharedd on Thursday, January 14.
“Dustin Will disclose more information once it is available and a plan moving forward is made.”
If you would like to send a card or letter, the same post includes the following address:
Insurance King
C/O Dustin Diamond
127 N. Alpine Rd
Rockford, Il 61107
Concludes the social media message:
“We ask at this time no autograph requests be sent to this address as that isn’t what it’s for. We ask everyone to respect Dustin’s privacy during this difficult time.
“All positivity and prayers are appreciated.”
TMZ reported on Tuesday that Diamond had been “feeling pain all over his body and a general sense of unease” before he went to the hospital.
His family also has a history of cancer, as he previously lost his mother to breast cancer.
We do not know at this time what type of cancer Diamond has come down with; or the severity of the disease.
The California native is best known for his role as Samuel “Screech” Powers.
He debuted in this the lovable, nerdy role in 1988 on the Disney Channel sitcom Good Morning, Miss Bliss, eventually bringing it over to NBC’s Saved by the Bell franchise.
The original program aired from 1989 to 1993… and its spinoffs included Saved by the Bell: The College Years and Saved by the Bell: The New Class, both of which Diamond starred in.
However, he was not asked to participate in the popular revival of the series, which premiered late last year on Peacock to very positive reviews.
Over the past several years, Diamond has infamously filmed a sex tape and been arrested on multiple occasions.
In 2009, he published a book titled Behind the Bell, which included a number allegations about his former costars’ lurid and/or inappropriate behind-the-scenes behavior.
He later confessed that he had a ghostwriter and that several stories in the book had been fabricated.
In 2019, Mark-Paul Gosselaar told Andy Cohen he last spoke to Diamond in 1994.
Speaking to the same Bravo host, Elizabeth Berkley later said something similar about her relationship with Diamond.
“I haven’t talked to him in a long time,” she told Cohen in November of 2020.
“Honestly, I think since we finished the show is the last time I actually spoke to him, but not because of anything bad.
“I mean, he was always nice to me and he’s had his journey, but really, I’ve kept more in touch with Mark-Paul, Tiffani [Thiessen], Mario and then, from time to time, Lark [Voorhies].”
Dustin Diamond has clearly gone through a lot for a long period of time.
We wish him a full recovery.