James Ellis Ford releases album recorded during leukaemia treatment
Producer James Ellis Ford has released an album created from his hospital bed while undergoing treatment for leukaemia.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
James Ellis Ford, the record producer known for his work with Blur, Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode and many others, has released a solo album recorded from his hospital bed while he was being treated for leukaemia. The album, titled Lost In Another World, was created over a two-week period between chemotherapy sessions at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London.
Ford had originally invited a host of music stars to Abbey Road Studios to record a charity record for War Child, but fell ill just before the session. He continued working remotely, mixing tracks for Arctic Monkeys and attending sessions with Olivia Rodrigo while receiving a blood transfusion. He then set up a mini recording studio in his hospital room to document his experience, playing the results to friends and family. Only later did he decide to release it as a "Polaroid of a moment in time."
The album has since been nominated for the Mercury Prize. Ford expressed deep gratitude for the NHS, saying the support he received was "life-saving and life-changing." He currently has no treatment planned but remains under close monitoring because of the risk of relapse. His solo recordings, along with the War Child charity album, stand as a testament to the power of the human spirit.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| The album Lost In Another World was recorded in hospital between chemotherapy sessions. | |
| The album was nominated for the Mercury Prize. | |
| The artist continued working on music for other artists while receiving treatment. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report centres on Ford's personal resilience and the emotional significance of making music during treatment. It highlights his dual role as both a producer working remotely on high-profile projects and a patient creating his own work, and frames the album as a positive, life-affirming document. It also gives space to his gratitude to the NHS and his current health status.
- “It was the most bizarre sort of, you know, turn of events, really.”
- “I suppose in that moment, I, you know, tried my hardest to focus on the positive things in my life and on the future.”
- “The support and the love that I've had from, you know, from going through this process here is life-saving and life-changing.”
Broadcast Timeline
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