‘The Vinyl Cafe’ host Stuart McLean suspends show to focus on melanoma treatment

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This article was published 13/12/2016 (3246 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO – “The Vinyl Cafe” host and writer Stuart McLean is suspending his popular radio show to focus on his cancer treatment.

In an online post on his website, the bestselling author, journalist and humorist says that he had figured treatment would be “swift” a year after his diagnosis with melanoma.

However, McLean says that his first round of immunotherapy treatment last winter was not completely successful, so he’ll undergo another round in the new year.

Rather than air repeats of his program — which features stories, essays and music — McLean says he will instead step aside to make room for others to share their work.

As of January, there will be no new episodes of “The Vinyl Cafe” on CBC Radio, Sirius XM satellite radio or podcasts. U.S. public radio stations will air “Vinyl Cafe Stories” episodes until the end of February.

The show’s stories centre on Dave, the owner of a second-hand record store, and also feature Dave’s wife, Morley, their two children, Sam and Stephanie, and various friends and neighbours.

McLean’s 10 “Vinyl Cafe” books have all been Canadian bestsellers and have sold over a million copies since “Stories from the Vinyl Cafe” was published in 1995. The titles have also been published in the U.S., the U.K., Australia and New Zealand.

“A year ago I told you that I expected this to be just a bump in the road, not the end of the road. I still believe that to be true,” McLean wrote. “I hope we will meet up again — on the radio or in theatres. We’ll make sure to tell you before that happens…. In the meantime, look after yourselves and each other. And know that this isn’t goodbye. It’s just .. so long for now.”