Louis Walsh has revealed that he suffered a heart attack while appearing on Celebrity Big Brother. The 74-year-old took part in the reality show with fellow The X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne in 2024, but he has since said taking part was a “big mistake”.
Severe anxiety and a minor heart attack
Appearing on the 2 Johnnies podcast, Walsh said that while on the show – which also featured Strictly Come Dancing’s Nikita Kuzmin and Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu – he began suffering from severe anxiety.
“I thought it was going to be fun. It wasn’t fun,” he candidly shared, adding that he had to see the medics. “My doctor thinks I had a minor heart attack. They let me out a few times to have a cup of tea.”
He revealed that he did the show for the paycheck but has come to regret his decision, stating neither he nor Osbourne were “in a good place”.
Blood cancer diagnosis during lockdown
During his time on the show, Walsh opened up on his health issues and disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Waldenström macroglobulinemia, a rare type of blood cancer, during lockdown.
Describing how he spent lockdown, he explained: “I was sick, but nobody knew I was sick. I had cancer. A mild version, a Waldenström, a rare one.”
While he clarified that the cancer had cleared and he is now “fine”, he said that the experience took a toll on his mental health. Walsh, who has insomnia, also struggled to sleep at night and felt “very agitated” as he waited for the lights to be switched on in the morning, he told the Irish Independent.
No X Factor revival for Walsh
During his appearance on the 2 Johnnies podcast, Walsh also ruled himself out of an X-Factor revival. Last month, it was reported that the hit ITV singing show will be making a comeback with a brand-new judging panel.
He said that he is “probably too old” and believes that Simon Cowell would not ask him. “The money is good, they pay well but I don’t think he will ask me,” Walsh said. “I don’t know who they would get. Sharon and Nicole Scherzinger would be good. I was so nervous being on that show as Simon is a big personality and so is Sharon.”
