Kathleen Watkins is thanking the public for their generous support for her husband Gay Byrne following his recent health scare.

The 82-year-old told listeners at the end of his RTÉ Lyric FM show last week that hospital doctors “may have discovered a bit of cancer in the prostate”.

“I want to really say a big ‘thank you’ to the nation for the deluge of cards and well wishes and phone calls and everything else,” she said to Live95fm.

“Beautiful messages, loving messages, nationwide for Gay and he really appreciates it all and so do we in the family.

“He spent a week in hospital, he’s coming home today, and from today we will know what the treatment is.”