Comedian Bob Mortimer has revealed he spent time in hospital and admitted to having been 'not very well'.
The UK comedian opened up about his health scares on Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast in London, whilst also admitting he's 'not very healthy at the moment'.
In 2015 the star underwent triple heart bypass, but has been in hospital as recently as last weekend. The trip to hospital came shortly after finishing the fifth series of his fishing show, Gone Fishing, but the 63-year-old found himself in a hospital bed two days later.
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While the star is now reported to have made a full recovery, health issues are still front of mind.
He told the podcast audience: "I did it [the fishing show] Tuesday, Wednesday and half of Thursday and I was in hospital on the Saturday. I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that should I? It's a real downer."
Bob also revealed another health issue in the podcast, after disclosing his rheumatoid arthritis. Speaking to the audience, Mortimer explained he had initially been diagnosed with the condition forty years ago. However he said it had recently returned after decades without symptoms or pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis can cause swelling of the joints and stiffness, and sufferers can have flare ups with severe pain.
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During the filming of the podcast last night, Mortimer told the audience: "It is really sad for me to know whether it will go. Yes I might be fat but actually I am on steroids."
In 2015, the comic was told by doctors that 95 percent of his arteries were blocked and that he was in dire need of heart surgery. Speaking to The Big Issue earlier this year, he revealed: "When I came home from being told I had to have heart surgery, it felt so dramatic. You think it is over.
“Heart surgery just sounds… it was weird, the things that would make me cry were my favourite egg cup and my cats.
“Four days later they were cutting me open. I was 95 percent blocked. Finding out I had to have open-heart surgery is when I felt closest to death."
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He continued: "The overpowering feeling was one of fear. I was very scared. I convinced myself that it would be absolutely life-changing. I don’t suppose I thought I was going to die, although they give you the warning that everyone gets before an operation.”
The comic star also opened up about struggling to stick to healthy eating and exercise habits last year. Speaking to The Independent, the Vic and Bob star confessed: "I didn’t really look after my health before and I’m not as good as I should be now. Some people seem to have the DNA for exercise and health and motivation, while some people struggle – and I do struggle."
He added: "I’m better than I was, but I get so bored with things. I got an exercise bike and that lasted about four months, but then I lost the will to live."
Whilst the star has had a recent visit to hospital, we're glad to hear he's doing well now.
Mortimer's latest series of Gone Fishing with comedian Paul Whitehouse is now available on BBC iPlayer.
Niamh Spence