Richard Bacon has announced he is giving up alcohol for good after recovering from a mystery illness that left him in a medically induced coma. The former Blue Peter presenter, who lives in the US, fell ill on a flight to the UK and was taken off the plane in a wheelchair.
Bacon, 42, was discharged from University Hospital Lewisham in south-east London on Thursday, walking with the aid of a frame alongside his wife, Rebecca. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: 'I've decided to really, really embrace health from here on in. I've always drunk too much, I've always drunk too quickly, so I'm giving up drinking altogether forever as a result of what happened to me.'
The presenter admitted he had not sought immediate medical attention because he thought he was in peak condition, having visited the gym twice a day in Los Angeles. He described feeling 'very, very cold and slightly hallucinogenic' during the flight, and urged others experiencing unexplained shortness of breath to go straight to A&E.
Bacon and his wife are now undergoing therapy to deal with the psychological impact of the ordeal. 'We're both big believers in therapy,' he said. 'The next stage for me is about dealing with the psychological scars.'
