In an emotional and shocking return to television, former Loose Women panelist Andrea McLean revealed she faced a life-threatening health crisis earlier this year. The 56-year-old made her first appearance on the ITV daytime show in five years on Thursday, sharing a harrowing update with her former co-stars.
A Terrifying Triple Health Threat
Andrea McLean disclosed to hosts Charlene White, Coleen Nolan, Katie Piper, and Jane Moore that she was hospitalised at the turn of the year with a severe combination of illnesses. She was fighting severe pneumonia, kidney failure, and sepsis simultaneously, a situation she described as rapidly deteriorating.
"It all went down hill slowly and all at once," Andrea explained during the candid conversation. The presenter revealed the gravity of her condition was so severe that her husband, Nick Feeney, had to receive the medical updates. "I wasn't told, Nick was told, I was in no fit state to listen to anything..."
She delivered the chilling prognosis she later learned: "If we waited another 24 hours, I would have not have made it."
Months of Recovery and Lasting Effects
The road to recovery was long and arduous. McLean spent three months in and out of hospital, undergoing numerous tests and relying on strong medication. One of the most significant physical impacts was substantial damage to her lungs.
"I lost about 80% of one of my lungs," she stated. While she confirmed she was eventually discharged in March and is now "fully recovered," she acknowledged there are "a few little bits" remaining with the affected lung.
The ordeal also had a visible impact. Andrea touched upon how the stress of her illness and the powerful antibiotics affected her body, even leading her to make a dramatic hair change, chopping off the extensions she was known for during her Loose Women tenure.
Husband's Support and a New Life in Spain
Throughout her health battle, Andrea praised the unwavering support of her husband, Nick Feeney, whom she married in 2017. The couple have now been together for twelve years and recently celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary.
"We have been through so many tests as a couple," she reflected. "If you can still smile and look at each other... and still think we're the bees knees, we're onto a good thing."
This health scare came on the back of a difficult period for the couple. Andrea had left Loose Women in December 2020 to focus on her business, which later failed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she herself contracted the virus. The series of challenges ultimately influenced their decision to start anew.
Earlier this year, Andrea revealed she was leaving the UK to begin a new chapter in Spain, a move prompted by dissolving her business and this profound health experience.
Andrea's original departure from Loose Women in 2020 was an emotional moment, linked to a nervous breakdown she suffered in 2019. She told viewers at the time that the global pandemic had made her question if she wanted life to return to "the normal that it was before." Her return this week provided a powerful update on where that brave decision has led her.
Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1 from 12.30pm and is available to stream on ITVX.
