Jason Gunn has shared an important public health message for the man behind Thingee on The Project on Wednesday.
"I've aged a lot since we began," said Gunn, taking a trip down memory lane.
Gunn was the star of the show The Son of a Gunn Show, and the puppet, Thingee, was his sidekick. The popular after school kids' show aired on between 1992 to 1995.
"I want to introduce you to a friend of mine behind Thingee and who made Thingee possible and that's Alan Henderson, the man on the right," Gunn said, showing a picture of his friend.
"Thingee in the middle. And that's the hanger-on Jason Gunn on the left."
"My friend Alan is like a brother to me."
Gunn started holding back tears as he spoke of his friend and shared some heartbreaking news.
"He has prostate cancer, and he's not well," Gunn said.
"So when people say, 'where's Thingee?', I go 'well, he's having some quiet time'."
Gunn then delivered a very emotional message, one to all men in New Zealand.
"Typical Alan then says to me 'just tell the men to go and get a prostate check'," he shared.
"So from Alan and from Thingee, guys get off your ass and go and know your doctor a little bit better."
In New Zealand, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. There are about 600 people who die from this cancer each year, but early detection leads to better outcomes. Learn more about the signs to be aware of potential disease and about screening tests that are available from your doctor here.
