O’Grady: I thought I was going to die
Star caught a bug from pups attacked by rats
TV’S Paul O’Grady feared he was hours from death after collapsing in India. Doctors told the star he was “heading for kidney failure” from an infection while working on his latest ITV show. Paul, 62, was rushed to hospital and needed life-saving treatment after falling ill in his hotel room in New Delhi.
The veteran entertainer, who survived three heart attacks, said: “I used to think I was invincible, but now I’m running out of lives.”
Dog lover Paul believes he picked up a bug from some puppies in the Indian capital.
He said: “They had been bitten by rats and there were maggots in them. I must have touched my mouth with my hand and I started vomiting at five in the morning.
“The doctor was called and he AMIR Khan is back with his wife Faryal – two months after he filed for divorce following a bitter public split.
The British former light-welterweight world champion revealed the surprise reunion yesterday by tweeting a picture of the model snuggling into his arms.
He wrote: “With my 4 month pregnant wife, after sorting out all the issues. Closing the year with a happy ending.”
Faryal, 26, responded on Instagram by quoting popular internet writer RM Drake saying: “I hope one day, we find each other again and laugh over whatever pain we might have caused.” Bolton-born Khan, 30, and Faryal, originally from New York, split three months ago, before becoming embroiled in a high-profile war of words, which included members of their family and claims of adultery on both sides. Khan even accused Faryal of having an affair with heavyweight world champ Anthony Joshua, before later admitting there was “no truth” in his claims. And she accused Khan of being a bad role model. Announcing the split in August, Khan – worth £23million – tweeted: “So me and the wife Faryal have agreed to split. I’m currently in Dubai. Wish her all the best.” The pair married in 2013 and have a threeyear-old daughter called Lamaisah. Faryal is expecting their second child in five months. said, ‘You’re seriously dehydrated, heading for renal failure.’”
Paul, who lives with husband Andre Portasio in their Kent farm house, decided to speak out about his illness after being bowled over by the kindness of the staff.
“When I was in hospital I couldn’t face breakfast,” he said.
“The thought was making me feel so sick.
“Then a lovely guy said, ‘Hang on, I’ll get you some fresh coconut water,’ and he presented me with half a coconut and a straw. I was
Claims
like, ‘Hang on a minute this is a third world country – I didn’t get this in St Thomas’ in London.’ I couldn’t believe it.”
He admits he “wasn’t prepared for the shocking conditions” when he went to Delhi to film For The Love of Dogs. He said he would smuggle food out of his hotel room mini bar to feed children living on the streets.
Paul O’Grady’s Country Life is out now, published by Bantam Press, rrp £20.