News of the Love Story star's battle with prostate cancer broke late on Friday (13Apr12) with a statement released to People.com.

It read: ""Recently I was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer. Although I was shocked and stunned by the news, I feel fortunate that it was detected early and, according to my extraordinary team of doctors, the prognosis is positive for a full recovery.""

But now the 70 year old, who fought leukaemia in the late 1990s, insists he has stage two cancer - and he has it ""under control"".

In an exclusive taped interview with U.S. news show Nightline, the actor says, ""I wasn't prepared for it. I wasn't ready for it. But you never are.""

O'Neal also tells the programme he has skin cancer - a melanoma - on his nose, joking, ""Welcome to Malibu (California) and the sun!""