Yahoo News Richard Bacon: "I came close to death"
Former Blue Peter presenter Richard Bacon has revealed he "came quite close to death" after suffering a serious lung condition.
Taken ill on a transatlantic flight earlier this month, Bacon delayed going to Lewisham hospital in south London as he was the fittest he had ever been "by a country mile".
But after struggling with shortness of breath, he checked himself into A&E. He was then told he needed to be put in a medical coma for treatment.
"The doctor said, 'I need to put you into an induced coma so that we can control your breathing and if I don't do that you are probably going to die'," Bacon told BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House.
He added: "It was the most shocking moment of my life."
The broadcaster now lives in Los Angeles and had recently embraced a healthy "LA lifestyle". But that didn't prevent his condition worsening.
"The first two nights went really badly - no one's fault - the infection was winning and my lungs were losing," he said.
"My blood oxygen level went down to 70%, and when you go below 70% basically you are looking at death or brain damage - but more likely death.
Last day visitors pic.twitter.com/PucJpsf07K
- richard bacon (@richardpbacon) July 19, 2018
"I hit 70% and for the first two nights, I have since found out, I came quite close to death."
After spending a week in a near unconscious state, Bacon recovered sufficiently to leave hospital and was discharged on July 19.
It was then that the doctor admitted: "There were a few points where I thought you were probably going to die."
He is now continuing his recovery at home.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Instagram and Twitter account.
('You Might Also Like',)
