Pals Giles and Richard in tiff

CLOSE friends Richard Bacon and Giles Coren have become embroiled in a bizarre spat – with Giles claiming it was advancements in medical science that saved Richard’s life and not the NHS itself.

Former Blue Peter presenter Richard, 42, top left, was placed in a medically-induced coma after falling ill on a flight from the US and credited NHS staff at Lewisham hospital for saving his life.

And after watching Mark Thomas’ show Check Up: Our NHS At 70, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Richard shared a video on Instagram, captioning it: “You don’t have to have had your life saved by them in the last month to think this is standing ovation sensational…”

But this prompted food writer Giles, left, to comment under the post: “Your life was saved by medical science. I don’t see what the NHS has to do with it.” Richard hit back sarcastically: “I should have gone to that private A&E 5 minutes from the house… Wish I’d thought of going to those places that don’t exist as I was dying.”

Yet adamant Giles, 49, insisted: “The NHS is just the organising structure, though. The science is what saved you…”

Richard then explained: “There was one individual called Vic, who’s committed himself to public healthcare, to the NHS, who made a crucial decision… There is no guarantee that without him I would have survived.” However Giles said Richard was “politicising it in terms that a snowflake social media fan base will rise and applaud to…”

Last word from Richard: “You’re the one f ******* politicising it… I don’t know why you’re being pointlessly provocative.” Miaow!