Beaton, 54, recently posted a photograph of Steel in his hospital gown on social media with the words: ‘Stuffing his face and doing great. Throat cancer poster boy. And we’ve got at least two shows and a book out of it already.’

Mark Steel is now in a blossoming new relationship with another comedienne, flame-haired Caroline ‘Cally’ Beaton (both pictured)

Comedian Mark Steel, who recently announced that he is battling throat cancer , is dealing with upheaval in his private life, too, after swapping one comedienne girlfriend for another. Pictured: Mark and Cally

Without naming Cally, Steel, 63, who is a regular on BBC television and radio programmes, has made references to the relationship in a recent article about his illness.

He said: ‘To add to the jeopardy, I was in the exciting early, slightly hesitant, stages of a new relationship that seemed extremely promising. So one evening I had to say, ‘By the way I might have cancer’.

‘There are countless books, websites and forums in which detailed advice is given on how to act, what to look out for and what to say in these first months of a potentially lifelong partnership. I doubt if any of them say, ‘Why not liven up a romantic evening by mentioning that you may have cancer?’

Steel – who was adopted, then discovered his real father was Joe Dwek, a multi-millionaire Wall Street trader and friend of the royals – later paid tribute to Cally’s care by saying: ‘My partner has been extraordinary.’

Cally, who has two children, does live stand-up, motivational speaking, has made several television appearances including Live at the Apollo and runs a podcast, Cally Beaton Namaste Motherf***ers.

Khorsandi – who recently published a book, Scatterbrain, about her ADHD – says she is currently enjoying being single. ‘I’m exhausted from relationships,’ she declared recently.