Bob Mortimer appeared on Friday’s This Morning where he issued a health update after suffering with ‘terrible’ shingles
This Morning: Bob Mortimer speaks about getting shingles
Bob Mortimer issued a health update on Friday’s This Morning after suffering with ‘terrible’ shingles. The comedian and TV star, 65, was on the ITV chat show to talk about his new book The Hotel Avocado but chat soon got onto his hit fishing series, Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, which he does with Paul Whitehouse.
Host Alison Hammond said: “You would never know because you haven’t even mentioned it, you weren’t very well doing it [filming], didn’t you get shingles?” To which Bob replied: “On one of the shows, when we were on the river, I was in a wheelchair, they didn’t show it on camera but I was carried down and plonked on the river bank with a rug. You wouldn’t know, you’d just notice I was always sat down.”
READ MORE: ITV The Voice UK ‘first’ as contestant makes show history in ‘never-seen-before’ momentREAD MORE: BBC Strictly Come Dancing star details reason professionals don’t always get a celebrity partner
Issuing an update, he said: “I’m better, shingles is a terrible thing, you can get lucky with it or unlucky. I got a bit unlucky with it, I lost the use of one of my legs but it’s coming back now, I’m a bit limpy but I’m very grateful to be back up and going,” reports the Mirror. It comes as Bob shared earlier this year how his health had taken a rapid decline and 2023 became the ‘worst year ever’ for his physical condition.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info
The television star is best known for his work with fellow comedian Vic Reeves, as part of their Vic and Bob double act, and his Gone Fishing series with actor Paul. The two pals, who both suffer from heart conditions, chat candidly while fishing at various locations across the UK.
In an episode earlier this year, Bob admitted the past 12 months have been ‘very unhealthy’ for him after being struck down with shingles – a skin infection caused by the same virus as chickenpox. Bob has had rheumatoid arthritis since childhood and also underwent triple bypass surgery in 2015.
On the BBC Two show, Bob explained that his health issues have caused the muscles in his body to wither and now he can no longer exercise like he once could. He estimates that as much as 80 percent of the muscles in his legs have been lost due to his illness, and fears he may never run again.
Sitting on the banks, Bob explained: “It’s been a very, very, very unhealthy year for me Paul with my shingles… and you know what – it was worse than my heart period.” Nine years ago, Bob had triple bypass surgery, when his heart stopped for 32 minutes. He discovered that 95 percent of his arteries were blocked.
Addressing the changes to his body and muscle mass, Bob continued: “The muscles I’ve lost, I’ve lost… but other ones can compensate for it, you know what I mean? I can make the other muscles stronger but I have a terrible feeling I’m never going to be able to run again and you know that I used to like to run Paul.”
In September 2023, Bob had to drop out of co-hosting Gone Fishing after he was incapacitated by shingles – with Lee Mack stepping in at the time.
This Morning continues on weekdays at 10am on both ITV and ITV X.
