The Wanted’s Max George has revealed how bandmate Tom Parker’s battle with a terminal brain tumour has taught him to be fearless in life.

Tom revealed in October last year that he had an inoperable stage 4 glioblastoma that doctors described as "the worst-case scenario".

And Max has been inspired by seeing the married dad-of-two face his diagnosis so bravely.

He says: "I don’t fear anything any more because I look at where Tom is and what he’s got and he’s just taking it head on.

"I do look at life differently in terms of anything can happen tomorrow so just make the most of today. Tom has given me a lot of strength.

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"He is a massive inspiration and I think he will be to millions of other people."

Max, 32, still recalls the horror of getting the call to tell him the news.

"It was just the shock that it was Tom," he says.

"I remember the day that his wife Kelsey rang me and I couldn’t get my head around that it was Tom, and I started wondering why it was Tom and not me. Fighter.

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  Strictly's Max George says he 'would love' to have kids with girlfriend Stacey Giggs

"I’m devastated, but he’s a fighter, and if there is one person who can get past it, it’s Tom."

In January, Tom posted on Instagram that his tumour had been "significantly reduced" and that he was continuing with his treatment.

He is also set to open up about his cancer battle in a Channel 4 documentary and Max reveals his pal is fighting the disease every step of the way.

"He’s safe and stable," he says. "I think he’s defying any of the odds that have ever been."

"He’s great. We speak a lot and he is doing way better than anybody could have expected, so everyone is really happy with where he’s at.

"They say that he can’t recover from his condition, but if there’s one person that could, it’s Tom. He’s a different breed, so 100% I believe he can make a full recovery."

Max has been dating Ryan Giggs’s ex-wife Stacey since April 2019.

He was previously engaged to Michelle Keegan and over the years has been linked to a string of beauties including model Nina Agdal, actresses Lindsay Lohan and Carmen Electra and The X Factor star Tulisa.

But now he’s "settled" so marriage is on the cards.

He says: "I’m with Stacey who is the absolute love of my life in every way.

"Getting married and having kids would be amazing but I’m really settled.

"We don’t really put any pressure on ourselves when it comes to that stuff."

Stacey has two children, Liberty and Zachary, with Ryan so Max isn’t planning a much bigger family.

He adds: "Not too many because we’ve already got Zach and Libby and then we’ve got our dog Albert."

Max, who is presenting a new Friday night show on Hits Radio, appeared on last year’s Strictly in which he performed a Simpsons-themed routine where he dressed as Homer – but he confesses that he’s not continued strutting his stuff.

"Dancing is not really my thing," he laughs. "I enjoyed the acting and silly aspects of it like when I did Homer, but when it came to the real technical side of things, I felt useless.

"Strictly asked me six times to do it, but it’s not my thing. I normally focus on my acting, but with it being lockdown and so quiet, I thought if me doing Strictly puts a smile on the face of someone who is at home without anything to do, then I couldn’t turn it down."

While Manchester-based Max only shot his first film role last year, he has turned down potential soap parts to focus on the silver screen.

He says: "There’s been quite a few soaps that my agent and I have had conversations with, but we’ve never seen it through because I just want to focus on films at the moment.

"Coronation Street is only around the corner and I’m a Manchester lad, so it kind of makes sense. I’ve had talks about that, but it’s not something that’s ever interested me.

“For me film is what I want to concentrate on first, but never say never with anything.

“It’s been very difficult to get work because of Covid, but I will be going back to the States, and I will probably spend three months out of the year over there."

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It’s been 10 years since The Wanted released their biggest-selling song I’m Glad You Came. And Max is hoping one day the band – which also includes Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness and Nathan Sykes – will hit the road again.

He says: "I’ve never hidden behind the fact that I’d love to go on tour again.

"During the band I had the absolute time of my life, but everyone has gone on to do their own thing, so would it happen? No idea, but would I like to do it? 100%.."

Tune in to Max’s new Hits Radio show every Friday from 7pm to 10pm

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