Peter Andre has spoken out with a heartfelt update following his wife Emily's recent diagnosis with shingles, praising her courage in publicly discussing the painful medical condition. The Mysterious Girl singer, 53, is married to NHS doctor Emily, 36, and expressed his relief that she is now "through the worst" of the illness.
Emily Andre's Shingles Revelation
Last week, Emily Andre, who has built her own fanbase through television appearances on shows like Lorraine, revealed she had been suffering from shingles. She explained that the condition is caused by the same virus as chicken pox and typically affects older demographics, making her case unusual given her age. Emily, a mother of three with Peter—Millie, 12, Theo, nine, and 23-month-old Belle—also has stepchildren Junior, 20, and Princess, 18, from Peter's previous marriage to Katie Price.
Peter Andre's Supportive Words
In his column for new! magazine, Peter Andre commended his wife for using her platform to educate others. "It was great Emily spoke out about her shingles diagnosis - she wants to help others and make them understand it from a medical point-of-view," he wrote. He added that he was surprised by the diagnosis but impressed by her resilience, noting, "I was really surprised when she told me but she didn’t make a fuss at all, even though it was very painful for her."
Peter emphasized how Emily handled the situation professionally, explaining the medical aspects to others. "It was very interesting to see how she handled it and explained to people how it needs to be dealt with. I think she’s through the worst now, thank goodness," he shared, expressing his relief over her recovery.
Emily's Educational Approach on Social Media
Emily Andre, who has amassed over 750,000 followers on social media, took to Instagram to discuss her diagnosis in detail. In a video posted to her account, she said, "Hi everyone, I wanted to share something a bit personal, but also hopefully helpful. You might have seen my videos this week I mentioned I had a minor health issue."
She used the opportunity to educate her followers about shingles, stating, "Basically what's happened is I've been diagnosed with shingles. So as a doctor I thought this was a good opportunity to do a bit of education around what shingles is." Emily highlighted that while shingles is commonly associated with older people, it can occur at any age, making awareness crucial.
Understanding Shingles Symptoms
Emily explained the medical background of shingles, noting, "It's caused by the same virus that gives you chicken pox. After you've had chicken pox, which many people do in childhood, the virus stays dormant in your body and it can then reactivate later in life as shingles."
She described her personal experience with the symptoms: "It usually starts with pain, tingling or sensitivity in a specific area and that's often before you see anything on the skin. For me personally, I noticed a pain and just odd sensations under my arm here and then a couple of days later the rash appeared on my back on one side." Emily added that the rash typically appears on one side of the body, often in a band or strip, and develops into fluid-filled blisters that can be quite painful.
Encouraging Medical Awareness
In her Instagram caption, Emily urged followers to seek professional advice, writing, "As always, do refer to the NHS website for more information, and seek medical advice if you’re unsure about anything. Let’s just say… not exactly how I planned to spend the week, but a good reminder to listen to your body and get things checked if something doesn’t feel right."
Peter Andre's update underscores the couple's commitment to using their public profiles for positive impact, with Emily's openness about her health struggle serving as an educational tool for others facing similar issues.
