2GB talkback star Alan Jones on the mend after major back surgery for a dislodged disc

HE has endured prostate cancer, a brain tumour and the slurs of politicians, but nothing compares to the pain radio host Alan Jones has suffered since March from a dislodged spinal disc.

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HE has endured prostate cancer, a brain tumour and the slurs of politicians, but nothing compares to the pain radio host Alan Jones has suffered since March from a dislodged spinal disc.

Unable to find any relief — not from a walking stick, steroid injections, or swallowing Endone painkillers “like lollies” — the legend of the airwaves had been due for surgery this week.

But he was forced to fast-track the 13-hour operation by a month, meaning he was not on hand to farewell his 2GB audience when his show ended for the year on Friday.

2GB radio host Alan Jones in hospital recovering from his 13-hour back operation. Picture: Carly Earl

However he did manage to phone his nominated understudy, 2GB afternoons host Chris Smith, and offer a croaky sign-off from his bed in an eastern suburbs rehabilitation hospital.

The septuagenarian, whose exact age is a well-guarded secret, blames his love of sport for his back. He said: “My back has been a problem as a result of a lot of sport I did as a kid. I played tennis, rugby. I did a lot of running on terrible surfaces.”

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By 1984 his back became a problem that required surgery on three occasions. His fourth operation took place on November 21 at St Vincent’s Hospital under the care of neurosurgeons Dr John Sheehy and Dr Jacob Fairhall and sleep and respiratory specialist Dr Don Garrick.

They removed a damaged disc that had become lodged in the wall of his spinal canal.

One of the discs in Jones’ back had lodged in his spinal canal. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Jones said it was a surgical problem the specialist team hadn’t encountered before.

“I’m going well now,” Jones said. “Obviously it’s a 13-hour operation so I’ve been pretty excavated, so to speak. Part of one of the discs had lodged in my spinal canal.

“When the surgeons got in, they had this terrible job of getting to the area and then they had to open L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5. It’s a massive operation and the pain has been unbelievable.

“Luckily I can’t see the wound but the problem with backs is you have to sleep on them. You can’t escape it.”

Jones said he was “sort of” past the worst but continued to have nerve and wound pain as he underwent physiotherapy and hydrotherapy.

Jones has had ongoing problem with his back ever since he was a kid. Picture: Carly Earl

“The next challenge is I’ve got this body that is significantly weakened and I have to learn to walk again as my left leg can’t take the body weight. I have a fairly big rehab job ahead,” he said.

Jones hopes to be discharged on December 22 — “that’s written on the chart” — and to head to “my big place on the Gold Coast” to celebrate Christmas with family.

Eager commentators hoping to succeed him at the helm of Sydney’s No.1 breakfast radio show shouldn’t write off the fiercely focused professional.

“First of February I’ll be right,” he said.

“I’ll just cancel the diary. I’ll do the rehab. As long as I have a proper chair. You have to be intellectually active or you’ll go off your head.”