Patrick Swayze is in good spirits, training for the second season of his TV show The Beast and "kicking butt", according to close pal Whoopi Goldberg.
Less than a week after a U.S. tabloid printed pictures of the cancer-suffering star looking frail and gaunt, Swayze reached out to his Ghost co-star in a personal call, asking her to dispel rumors he's on death's door.
Speaking on her morning talk show The View on Tuesday, Goldberg revealed, "He's actually quite good. He's in very very good spirits. He's in the middle of writing a book with (his wife) Lisa."
Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year, but has vowed to fight the disease and defied doctors' expectations by landing a role in A&E network drama The Beast.
The first season premiered earlier this year - and Swayze is now preparing to shoot season two.
Goldberg adds, "He's working his tail off. He's sick, there's no getting around it, but, like all of us, we all know we're going to die. We don't know when and what's going to take us.
"As it turns out, there's no expiration date on his a**, so he's going forward. He's going back into training for The Beast, because he's running and jumping in it."
Swayze has also denied claims chemotherapy has cost him his hair, prompted by photos appearing to show him wearing a wig; he insists he cut his own locks off for his role in The Beast.
Goldberg adds,"He says he shaved his head. Whatever you're reading, just know he's kicking butt. He's doing one day at a time."
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