TV star's secret heart attack after 'major complications' in surgery
BBC Springwatch presenter Iolo Williams revealed that he suffered a heart attack, following 'major complications' from getting a stent fitted in an artery. Thankfully, the star recovered from the ordeal.
In October last year, Iolo posted a snap of himself in a hospital bed with wires coming off his body, whilst he did a thumbs up to the camera. Iolo explained at the time: "I had a heart attack and it was very unexpected. I keep fit, I've been playing rugby ever since I was 45, I run two to three times a week." The star had a stent fitted in April 2023, but a blood clot caused complications and he was forced to pull out of filming Springwatch, which he announced in May that year.
At the time, he wrote on Twitter: "Unfortunately I can’t co-present @BBCSpringwatch this year. I had a stent inserted in April, which released a clot that, this week, caused an embolysm! My demise has been greatly exaggerated; thanks to brilliant friends, wonderful family & the excellent @ NHS. Go Megan & team SW!”
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His fans rushed to offer messages of support, as one wrote: “Speedy recovery mate.”
Iolo’s co-host Megan McCubbin said: “Get well soon, and rest up! I’ll do my best on the show… but come back soon.” Another person wrote in Welsh, “Brysia wella”, which translates to ‘get well soon’.
Iolo, who lives in Powys with his wife Ceri and two sons, was set to host the new series of Springwatch from Dorset.
The Welshman has made a name for himself on British TV, after becoming one of nature programmes' most recognisable faces. In 2019, he became a presenter on BBC show Springwatch alongside fellow presenter Gillian Burke. He also appears on Winterwatch - the next series of which will air in January 2024 - and Autumnwatch.
The presenter joined the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in 1985, where he stayed for 14 years and worked as a regional co-ordinator, before he moved onto a career in television.
According to the NHS website: 'A stent is a short, wire-mesh tube that acts like a scaffold to help keep your artery open. There are 2 main types of stent: bare metal (uncoated) stent. drug-eluting stent, which is coated with medication that reduces the risk of the artery becoming blocked again.'
The procedure comes with risks such as damage to arteries, allergic reactions and excessive bleeding, according to the UK's health service.
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