Entertainment
Michael Sheen feared stage career was in jeopardy after contracting ‘very rough’ Covid
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Acclaimed actor Michael Sheen, 52, has opened up about his ‘rough’ experience with Covid-19 and his concern that it would affect his ability to perform on stage.
Michael is currently performing Under Milk Wood at the National Theatre, but he was once worried that the illness would not allow him to star in the production.
Speaking to Lorraine Kelly on her morning show, he said his experience with the disease cemented his love for the NHS as he was ill in America in February of this year.
Michael explained that while he thought it was going to be ‘a couple of weeks of sitting in bed and watching TV’ it was anything but.
‘It was very rough, I suddenly felt the vulnerability of not having our national health service to rely on and to look after me, that was quite scary to not be here,’ he told the host.
‘I had a renewed sense of love and respect for what we have in this country but I’m fine now, I’m doing well and I’m on stage.’
Michael Sheen was worried Covid would damage ability to perform (Picture: Getty Images)
He revealed that he had concerns the disease would damage his ability to work on stage, as Covid can damage the walls and linings of the air sacs in your lungs.
‘I was a little nervous because I haven’t been on stage for about 10 years and with the whole thing about your lungs, I wasn’t sure how it would go,’ Michael explained.
‘Obviously, lungs are quite important for when you’re on stage trying to do the stuff but it seems to have gone OK.’
When the actor first fell ill with coronavirus he took to Twitter to share the news, saying he had been sick for a few weeks.
He tweeted alongside a photo of himself: ‘I’ve spent the last few weeks laid low by Covid. It’s been very difficult & quite scary.’
Michael spoke to Lorraine about his concerns (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
He added: ‘I want to thank all the incredible women-Anna, Mum, Lily, Joanne, my friends & all the women I am lucky enough to have support me who’ve helped me through this.’
The women he thanked in his post were his girlfriend, mother, 21-year-old daughter Lily who he shares with ex Kate Beckinsale and his sister Joanne.
His girlfriend, Swedish actress Anna Lundberg, 26, had revealed that she and their 17-month-old daughter had also tested positive for the virus at the same time.
Sharing a photo of their daughter Lyra, she added: ‘Yes, we’ve all been dealing with THE virus the last few weeks.
‘Michael and Lyra caught it first and then, inevitably, so did I. It’s been very challenging for all of us but luckily we’re all much better now than we were.
More: ITV
‘Thankfully I was lucky to only have relatively mild symptoms, which meant that I could keep focusing on Lyra and Michael.’
She concluded: ‘I’m extremely grateful for our recovery and the support we’ve had from friends and family. X’
Lorraine airs weekdays at 9am on ITV.
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