Richard Bacon has opened up about how he "nearly died" after being in a coma for six days.
The 42-year-old presenter has been in hospital for 10 days with a double chest infection, and thought he was about to meet his maker when he was rushed to an intensive care unit with a "massive need jammed in [his] chest", but he managed to pull through.
He wrote on Twitter: "So I did 6 days strght in a coma. Been here another 4 since. It’s an yet unidentified double chest infection. I nearly died. At one point, as I was as run down a hallway to ICU at midnight, with a massive needle jammed in my chest (bit like Pulp Fiction) I thought, this is it.1/2 (sic)"
Richard felt so close to death that he imagined hospital staff telling his father he had passed away, and he has praised the NHS for their sterling work in saving his life.
He tweeted: "2/2 How’s is this going to affect my kids’ lives? Who’s going to sit my poor dad down and say"I’m sorry, we did everything we could". But then I didn’t die. And I didn’t die because I’m on the NHS . VivaTheNHS. See you for your [100]th. By which time I probably will have penumonia
"This is how good Lewisham Hospital is. I walked in off the street simply complaining of being short of breath. With 90 minutes they had placed me into a life saving six day coma. #VivaTheNHS. (sic)"
Last week, Richard was said to be fighting for his life after he was put in a medically-induced coma, after he revealed he was suffering from pneumonia across both lungs.
A source close to the former ‘Blue Peter’ presenter said: "This is an extremely worrying time for everyone who loves him.
"Doctors started treating him for pneumonia but it soon became apparent that it wasn’t working and his condition took a dramatic turn for the worse."
Earlier this month, Richard revealed he was taken off a plane and put in a wheelchair before being rushed to hospital, and was later diagnosed with double pneumonia, an inflammatory condition of the lungs.
He wrote on Twitter: "Thank God I got ill in Britain (actually on the way to Britain, was taken off the plane in a wheelchair). F**k all the ideology driven politicians who’ve messed up America’s healthcare system. Viva the NHS. Happy 70th. (sic)"
In response to BBC News presenter Rachael Bland asking if he is OK, the former ‘Blue Peter’ presenter replied: "Basically pneumonia. But across two lungs. I’ll be here a few days. (sic)"
Richard Bacon: I nearly died
