Bradley Walsh speaks on 'seriously bad' health battle and 'time bomb' condition
The Chase host Bradley Walsh has opened up on a health battle that he has been facing for years, which has caused him to 'struggle' with his appearance
Bradley Walsh, host of The Chase and Gladiators, has spoken candidly about a personal health struggle with "seriously bad" blepharitis, which caused noticeable redness and swelling around his eyes. The issue came to the fore in July 2021 when viewers of the ITV quiz show spotted changes in his appearance.
Bradley later explained, saying: "People don't realise I have seriously bad blepharitis. I have to take one pill a day for it or I really struggle."
Further addressing concerns about his health, the daytime TV favourite revealed plans for an eye operation.
Read More: Mum's fury after getting Bristol CAZ fines after being told to rush baby to hospital
Read More: Emma Willis has life-saving surgery after discovering heart condition
"So many times, people have commented on how I look. But they don't realise. If I take medication though, I'm fine," he said. While blepharitis typically isn't life-threatening, neglecting it could lead to worse conditions such as dry eyes, cysts, or even conjunctivitis.
Following a heart scare, the 61-year-old television favourite was compelled to revamp his lifestyle drastically - a move underlined by the fact his father died of heart failure at 59 years old. Speaking with The Sun on Sunday, Bradley reflected on how this familial experience impacted him.
"I had a hang-up because my father, Daniel, died at the age of 59," he said. "I had it in the back of my mind that I just had to get past my dad's age.
"So turning 60 was a bit of a milestone. I was 33 when he passed away. I'd just done the Royal Variety Show performance which helped launch my career, but my dad died from heart failure two weeks after that and never got to see it."
Bradley has also spoken about living with high cholesterol, a condition he inherited from his mother. "I'm not on statins but what my heart guy said was: 'Look, Brad, if you start training, all that (cholesterol) will drop. You need to get fit'," he said.
"I was a time bomb. I was quite lucky in regards to the calcium test but my doctor said I produce too much cholesterol. It's a silent killer."
Motivated by these health concerns, the ITV and BBC presenter took decisive steps towards a healthier lifestyle, eventually losing 10lbs, spurred on by knowledge of his cholesterol issues just before the world went into lockdown due to COVID-19.