The Chase star reveals ‘worst week of life’ during major heart surgery-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro

The Chase star Paul Sinha has spoken further about the ‘extraordinarily traumatic week’ he was forced to have major heart surgery.

Last week for the first time, the ITV star revealed he suffered two heart attacks while performing at the Edinburgh Fringe 2023.

Months later in December, the 54-year-old underwent a heart bypass operation at St George’s Hospital in London.

Paul appeared on today’s Good Morning Britain during which he told presenters Charlotte Hawkins and Richard Madeley about the ‘worst week of his life.’

He said: ‘It’s been a busy 12 months. It’s been fine. I mean, I had the worst week of my life in December being in hospital for a bypass operation.

‘It was an extraordinarily traumatic week for me, not least when I was trying to get some sleep and a patient two beds down had his wife on speakerphone and heard his wife bellowing the following words across the ward: “The ironic thing is he’s The Chaser I’ve always hated.”

Paul had two heart attacks during last year’s Edinburgh Fringe (Picture: ITV)

He only cancelled two shows because he feared ‘financial ruin’ (Picture: ITV)

‘To this day that was probably the most traumatic day of my life and in many ways it cheered me up because it was such a ludicrous thing to happen. You’ve got life.’

When asked by Charlotte how he was now, Paul replied: ‘It’s been tough but you keep fighting, you keep battling because you don’t have any other options really.

‘People often call you brave. I’m not brave – I’m just pragmatic and positive.’

Paul previously told The Telegraph that he only cancelled two of his shows at Edinburgh Finger after suffering two heart attacks because he feared ‘financial ruin.’

In December, Paul underwent a heart bypass operation (Picture: ITV/Kieron McCarron/Shutterstock)

He said he was worried he would lose around £20,000 in ticket sales if he pulled out of more gigs.

‘The reason I want to share my story is that I truly think performers need to think more about taking better and more holistic self-care of themselves,’ Paul said.

In 2019, Paul also revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, saying at the time: ‘I will fight this with every breath.’

The disease is a condition ‘in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years’, the NHS explains, with symptoms including involuntary shaking, stiff muscles and movement that is slower than usual.

He spoke about the ‘worst week’ of his life on Good Morning Britain (Picture: ITV)

Last year, Paul spoke about his future on during an interview on Richard Herring’s podcast RHLSTP (Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast).

‘At this stage of my career, I’m known as the guy who’s got Parkinson’s. I’ve been known as that for the last four years,’ he stated.

‘I have no idea how long I’m going to be a stand-up for, because I get more tired with every passing year. I just want to go up and do a show that I enjoy and is fun.’

Prior to that, Paul shared that his Parkinson’s has resulted in him not being able to dance or drive anymore.

‘Everything is slower in general. To go to an event, I have to wake up an hour earlier than I otherwise would have done,’ he told The Daily Star.

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.

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