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Vic Reeves, aka Jim Moir, the UK comedian and TV personality known for his pairing with Bob Mortimer, has spoken for the first time publicly about being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.

Appearing on the Adam Buxton Podcast, Reeves said he has vestibular schwannoma, also known as acoustic neuroma, a non-cancerous brain tumor. He added that it is being monitored for any changes and that it has left him deaf in one ear.

“It’s benign. They can’t remove it. They can shrink it or they can just leave it and keep an eye on it, and that’s what they’re doing,” he told host Buxton.

“I would rather hear than not but this happened so you just get on with it, don’t you?” Reeves continued, “I’ve got used to it, I like going out bird watching and I never know where the birds are.

In 1963, the Beatles became the biggest band in Britain. Here are some authentic slices of the hysteria that greeted their concerts, courtesy of the British Pathé newsreel archive

Along with much of the mainstream British media, Pathé came to the Beatles comparatively late in 1963. Its October feature Tribute to Disc Stars is the first clip I've found that mentions the group, and that's in the context of a Variety Club bash at the Savoy – a 60s equivalent of today's BPI awards.

Here is the British music establishment of the day. The run-down of the guests gives you an idea of what the Beatles were up against in 1963: Frank Ifield, Joe Brown, Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson, Acker Bilk, Cyril Stapleton, Anne Shelton, Eddie Calvert, Charlie Drake, Dickie Valentine. Apart from Joe Brown and Frank Ifield, nary a hint of pop flash among the lot of them.

The point of...