Richard in joint decision
BROADCASTER Richard Bacon has sworn off weed and booze after revealing he nearly died twice while battling a mystery illness.
The telly and radio presenter fell ill during a flight from LA to London last month and medics put him into an induced coma.
Dad-of-two Richard has now revealed doctors at University Hospital Lewisham, south-east London, told him he could have died from his ailment, which is still to be diagnosed.
Richard, who is married to wife Rebecca, said the health scare has led to him giving up smoking marijuana, which is legal in LA where he lives.
The ex-Blue Peter host added: “I’ve decided to really, really, really embrace health from here on in.
“In LA, I’ve been smoking weed. It’s all legal over there. I’m going to stop all that.
“I’ve always drunk too much, I’ve always drunk too quickly, so I’m giving up drinking altogether forever as a result of what happened to me. Because if I don’t effect some sort of really, really positive change out of this, then it’s a giant waste of everyone’s time. I want to look back in 10, 20 years and think, ‘This was the moment I changed my life.’”
Richard is in shock after almost dying, adding: “I can go into a hospital, aged 42, be that fit, and have all that modern equipment around me and still nearly die?
“F***ing hell. I came that close. The first two nights, it was incredibly close.”
Richard left hospital two weeks ago, posting an emotional snap on Instagram as he was reunited with son Arthur, six, and daughter Ivy, four, with a welcome home banner.
The star spent 10 days in the coma and later heaped praise on NHS staff, posting online: “I will miss the 50 staff of Lewisham Hospital who definitely saved my life. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.”