Aretha Franklin has refused to discuss reports that she has been battling pancreatic cancer following a recent spell in hospital.

In December, the singer was discharged from hospital after being treated for an undisclosed illness. Unconfirmed media reports claimed she was suffering from pancreatic cancer.

But in an interview with JET, Franklin said: “I am not going to even deal with that.

“I don’t have to talk about my health with anybody other than my doctors. The problem has been resolved.”

But Franklin did reveal that she sought medical help after having “a very hard pain in my side” during a concert in Toronto, Canada last year.

She also thanked fans for their support and asked them to respect her privacy during her recovery.

(by Jason Gregory)