Miranda Hart has revealed that a doctor dismissed her persistent fatigue by writing "TATT" (tired all the time) in her notes before she was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease and ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome.
The 53-year-old comedian, known for her self-titled BBC sitcom and due to appear in this year's Celebrity Traitors UK, previously disclosed her diagnosis. Action For ME says the condition is long-term, varies day to day, and affects an estimated 1.35 million people in the UK. Symptoms include post-exertional malaise (PEM), overwhelming fatigue, brain fog, and sleep difficulties.
Common Symptoms and Diagnosis
The NHS notes that an "aching body" and "feeling tired or exhausted" are common symptoms of both flu and ME, which may explain why many people dismiss them initially. A key sign of ME is "you feel stiff, tired or have flu-like symptoms when waking up." Other symptoms include flu-like symptoms, problems remembering recent events, muscle twitches or spasms, not feeling refreshed after sleep, difficulty remembering certain words, waking during sleep, extreme tiredness, muscle or joint pain, intolerance to alcohol or certain foods, hot flushes or cold chills, headaches, heart palpitations, difficulty concentrating, daytime sleepiness, dizziness or fainting when standing, slow speech or reactions, a sore throat or non-swollen glands, sensitivity to light or sound, and feeling dizzy or sick.
Miranda's Experience with Doctors
In her book, I Haven't Been Entirely Honest With You, Hart wrote that she never understood why she was "so exhausted," describing it as a "heavy cloak." She explained: "Doctors would tell me that it was probably stress or anxiety" and dismissed her constant fatigue by writing "TATT." She recalled asking if there were any tests, saying, "I wasn't being hypochondriacal - I was simply being practical." The doctor explained TATT means "tired all the time," adding, "It's what we put when someone won't be convinced there's nothing wrong!" Hart said, "I felt like I'd been slapped in the face. 'You write TATT?'" and told the doctor, "Well, I think that shows there is something wrong. Not life-threatening, sure, but someone who is not able to live their life fully."
Lyme Disease and ME Connection
According to Lyme Disease UK, Hart "confessed to becoming unwell aged 14 or 15 after living in the US state of Virginia, a Lyme disease hotspot. Here she was likely unknowingly bitten by a tick carrying the infection. Since that time, she has never had a normal level of energy or felt refreshed after a night's sleep." Symptoms developed over the years, leading to a diagnosis of ME/CFS, but further tests did not reveal the root cause as Lyme disease until 2020. The charity notes this late diagnosis echoes many patients who did not notice a tick bite or see a diagnostic erythema migrans (EM) rash, which is not always present.
There is no specific test for ME/CFS. The NHS states it is diagnosed based on symptoms and by ruling out other conditions. A GP may arrange blood and urine tests and may suspect ME/CFS if symptoms aren't improving as expected.
Celebrity Traitors UK 2026
Celebrity Traitors series two begins on Thursday, October 1, with an extra-long opening episode at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The series airs two nights a week on Thursday and Friday evenings at 8pm. Hart will compete against 20 other celebrities, including Amol Rajan, Bella Ramsey, James Acaster, James Blunt, Jerry Hall, Joanne McNally, Joe Lycett, Julie Hesmondhalgh, King Kenny, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Maya Jama, Michael Sheen, Myha'la, Professor Hannah Fry, Richard E. Grant, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Ross Kemp, Sebastian Croft, and Sharon Rooney.
