Top News

Bradley Walsh is a TV legend but the presenter has faced his fair share of significant health challenges in real life.

Since shooting to fame in the 90s, Bradley, 65, has become a household name. From showing off his acting chops on Coronation Street to hosting smash-hit shows like The Chase and Blankety Blank, Bradley has kept himself busy.

Bradley is back on screens this month too, for the new series of BBC’s Gladiators. He co-hosts the hit show alongside his son Barney since the Beeb brought it back in 2024.

• Harper Beckham breaks silence after Brooklyn's blistering attack on David and Victoria
• 'I know Brooklyn Beckham, here's what he's really like and why it doesn't add up'

And while Bradley has enjoyed great health for most of his life, he has previously opened up over the years about the issues he has faced.

In 2017, Bradley opened up about his ongoing health struggle that leaves his eyes looking swollen and red. He revealed that he suffers from blepharitis, a condition that has a puffy effect on his face.

Speaking on This Morning, he said: "People don't realise I have seriously bad blepharitis. I have to take one pill a day for it or I really struggle. I am going to need my eyes operated on at some point to sort it out."

He added: "So many times, people have commented on how I look. But they don't realise. If I take medication though, I'm fine."

Bradley outlined to the viewers that blepharitis leads to swollen, red, and itch-prone eyelids, including flaky or crusty lashes. In severe scenarios, individuals may find their eyelids totally stuck together upon waking.

Bradley decided to overhaul his lifestyle in 2020 due to a heart disease scare, reminiscent of his father's death from heart failure at age 59. Speaking with The Sun on Sunday, Bradley reflected on how this familial experience impacted him.

"I had a hang-up because my father, Daniel, died at the age of 59," he said. "I had it in the back of my mind that I just had to get past my dad's age.

“So turning 60 was a bit of a milestone. I was 33 when he passed away. I'd just done the Royal Variety Show performance which helped launch my career, but my dad died from heart failure two weeks after that and never got to see it."

Bradley has also spoken about living with high cholesterol, a condition he inherited from his mother. He added to The Sun: “I'm not on statins but what my heart guy said was: 'Look, Brad, if you start training, all that (cholesterol) will drop. You need to get fit'," he said.

"I was a time bomb. I was quite lucky in regards to the calcium test but my doctor said I produce too much cholesterol. It's a silent killer."

Motivated by these health concerns, the ITV and BBC presenter took decisive steps towards a healthier lifestyle, eventually losing 10lbs.

It seems that Bradley's health continues to be on his mind, as this month, he told Heat magazine: "I want to get slimmer and fitter. As you get older, it's much harder, but I really want to get fitter."

Bradley continued: "Well, I've been asking the Gladiators for tips, and they're really lovely. They tell me what to eat or what to take. I've got myself a trainer, and I'm actually eating properly."