Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb said on Friday he had made a “spectacular” recovery from a serious illness, which was widely reported to be cancer.

The 62-year-old, most famous as a founding member of the disco-era hit machine the Bee Gees, told BBC Radio 2:

“Well, it’s all simple. I was diagnosed with a growth in my colon. It was removed. And I’ve been treated for that by a brilliant doctor, and in their own words ‘the results have been spectacular’.”

Media speculation about his deteriorating health was sparked by his gaunt and frail appearance in recent months. Some reports went so far as to suggest he was close to death, claims Gibb said had been unfounded.

“I mean the fact is, I’ve never spoken to anybody about my condition or the condition that I was in and a lot of them go over the top to the point where they’re telling me things that I didn’t even know about myself,” he said.

“The prognosis is that it’s almost gone and I feel fantastic and really from now on it’s just what they could describe as a ‘mopping-up’ operation. I am very active and my sense of well-being is good.”

Gibb has just finished recording his first ever classical work with son Robin-John called “The Titanic Requiem” which is due for release on March 19.

On February 13 he is due to make his live comeback at London’s Palladium.