Actor James Buckley, best known for playing Jay in The Inbetweeners, has revealed he has a genetic condition that puts his health at risk. The 38-year-old shared the news on his podcast, The Buckleys, with his wife Clair Buckley, also 38, after she recounted a recent medical episode.
Clair had been feeling ill for days and was taken to hospital, where she was told something was wrong with her bloods. She was 'pumped full of fluids' and put on antibiotics. After she finished her story, James announced that he has 'also had health problems'.
High levels of lipoprotein(a)
The actor explained that blood tests revealed high levels of lipoprotein (a) – a cholesterol-carrying lipoprotein – which puts him 'at a high risk now for a cardiovascular incident'. He told listeners: 'There's nothing you can do about it by the way.'
Lipoproteins are 'little groups of proteins and fats that help carry fats around your body', according to the British Heart Foundation. Lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a) is 'a type of lipoprotein made by your liver', made up of 'a lipoprotein, similar to low density lipoprotein or LDL (sometimes called “bad” cholesterol)' and 'two proteins called ApoB and Apo(a)'.
The charity explains that 'Apo(a) makes Lp(a) stickier. Because it's sticky and travels around your body in your blood, having higher levels of Lp(a) can increase your risk of getting a blood clot.' High levels of Lp(a) can therefore increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as a heart attack or stroke. Lp(a) levels are determined by genes inherited from parents.
Lifestyle changes advised
James wanted medicine to address the issue, but the doctor told him he needed to change his lifestyle. His wife teased him: 'Yeah it's weird isn't it, being healthy?'
While Lp(a) levels are not affected by lifestyle factors, the British Heart Foundation says 'it's still important to have healthy lifestyle and manage other risk factors, like high cholesterol'. This includes staying active, cutting down on alcohol, stopping smoking, and eating heart-healthy recipes. Doctors may also prescribe statins to lower overall cardiovascular risk, as they 'do not directly reduce Lp(a) levels' but 'can help make Lp(a) smaller'.
After James listed the body parts that could be compromised, including his arteries, Clair joked: 'Stop clogging them with KFC.' He assured her he hadn't been and has 'turned it around'. Clair revealed that due to James's concern about his condition and her own medical issues, they had not had a beer in 'about two and a half weeks'.
Fan reactions
Listener @bobbywheelhouse commented: 'No beer is total s***. Glad you're both alive.' Another listener, @HotelSeptember, shared his own experience with high lipoprotein(a), saying he 'couldn't keep up the lack of beer' but generally tries to 'eat healthy'.
James and Clair married in November 2012 and have two sons, Harrison (born 2011) and Jude (born 2013). The Buckleys is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.
