A DUNFERMLINE man famed for flopping on Britain’s Got Talent has received treatment to prevent the onset of cancer – in the form of a new penis.

James Boyd, 40, of Arthur Street, hit the headlines in 2009 for his failed attempt to break the Guinness World Record for scoffing Ferrero Roche chocolates.

But last month he faced a much more serious challenge when he underwent a delicate two-hour surgery to try and remove the threat of penile cancer.

James, who has now decided against going to the Glasgow auditions for the X Factor today, was diagnosed with a skin condition called Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans (BXO) that has been linked to the development of the killer disease in men.

He said: “It was nerve-wracking and scary but when I woke up from the general anaesthetic, I thought, ‘Oh, they’ve cut a bit of my penis off.’ “It is a wee bit painful but it’s not so bad because there are people worse off than you in hospital, which was sad to see.

“The doctors think I’ve had BXO since 2009 after I had a circumcision; I saw a white mark on my foreskin and went to the Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline.

“I was still going on Britain’s Got Talent though!

“But later on it started to change colour and got bigger. It was turning grey so I was referred to the Victoria and then the Western General in Edinburgh, which I was told is one of the top cancer hospitals in Scotland.

“At that point I thought, ‘Oh my God’, but I was told that if I had left it the way it was, it could have become full blown cancer.”

BXO, which commonly occurs on the foreskin, sees white patches appear on the affected area, causing pain and irritation.

In its later stages if left untreated, it can cause urinary retention that may result in bladder or kidney damage, and has been linked to the development of a form of penile cancer.

The procedure, which James said had left his nether regions feeling “a wee bit painful”, saw him undergo a skin graft that removed skin from his left thigh to replace that removed from affected area of the penis.

Despite going through what he described as “fun and games”, James is determined not to let the experience stop him in his tracks.

He said: “I was in hospital for six days and the procedure saw the surgeon take extra skin off the top part of the penis where things could have spread, and then took some from the inside of my thigh.

"I had total bed rest for five days and a catheter attached, which was a bit awkward, but it is starting to heal now.”

James, who will return to the Western General in 6-8 weeks for a check-up, continued: “I’m glad I’ve been through the process and the nurses at the hospital were fantastic.

"I hope that if there are people in the same boat and spot something that they report it to their doctor.

"I was a bit embarrassed lying in the hospital having my bits looked at, and I think a lot of men have that barrier, but it is important to have it checked out.”

James, a carer for his mum, Margaret, gained fame on Britain's Got Talent in 2009 after trying, and failing, to eat seven Ferrero Rocher chocs in under a minute.

And, in November last year, he threatened to sue TV presenter Jeremy Kyle after he was branded a benefits cheat in a recording for a television show.

They travelled to Manchester for an interview as part of series two of The Kyle Files – a show which investigates high-profile issues that impact on people’s lives across Britain.

But James, who has been in receipt of employment support allowance and carers allowance over periods in the last few years, was left shocked by a grilling from Kyle and wrote to ITV to complain that he had not been given the opportunity to answer “rapid-fire questions about why I’ve not worked since 2002” and discuss voluntary and charity work that he has carried out.