Sir Chris Hoy, one of Britain’s greatest ever Olympians, has revealed he has terminal cancer.

The 48-year-old six-time Olympic cycling gold medallist has only two to four years to live, according to doctors.

It was back in February that Hoy said on social media that he had been diagnosed with cancer and that his treatment was  “thankfully going really well”.

He added then: “I’m optimistic, positive.”

The father of two, whose children are 10 and seven, in an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine, said he originally went to the doctor in September last year.

He thought he had suffered a shoulder strain because he was “getting a bit old for lifting heavy weights”.

It was discovered he had a tumour in his shoulder and a further scan uncovered that the primary cancer was in his prostate, which had spread to his bones.

Your whole world has fallen apart

There were tumours in his shoulder, pelvis, hip, spine and rib.

Hoy, in a memoir which he has written in the past year, said: “[You are told] one sentence that some person you’ve never met before has just told you.

“And in the space of one sentence, just a collection of words, your whole world has fallen apart.”

His memoir is due to be published next month.

He also told how his wife Sarra has also had to deal with the diagnosis that she has  a “very active and aggressive” type of multiple sclerosis following a scan last November.

She made the devastating discovery after she started to suffer a curious tingling sensation in her face and tongue.

Hoy said the biggest challenge was having to tell their children Callum and Chloe but he was able to find perspective and positivity.

“I’m not trying to pretend that every day is amazing. But I have genuine moments of joy ... I’m back to my old self,” he said.