Bob Mortimer 'fears he may never run again' after years of health issues

30 December 2023, 17:15

Audio & Radio Industry Awards Night
Bob Mortimer has said he feels he may never run again after suffering several health issues. Picture: Getty

By Chay Quinn

Bob Mortimer has said he feels he may never run again after suffering several health issues.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The 64-year-old comedian had triple heart bypass surgery in 2015 and this year had the painful rash known as shingles, caused by the same virus as chickenpox.

Mortimer was also forced to give up playing football decades ago due to arthritis.

Read More: TV comedy star Maddy Anholt dies aged 35 following brain cancer diagnosis

During a festive special episode of Mortimer And Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, where the pair travelled to Scotland for a Hogmanay episode and visited the rivers Dee, Tay and Ericht, he revealed how 2023 has been for him.

Mortimer told comedian Paul Whitehouse: "It's been a very, very, very unhealthy year for me, Paul, with shingles.

Mortimer found fame as part of his comedy partnership with Paul Whitehouse
Mortimer found fame as part of his comedy partnership with Paul Whitehouse. Picture: Getty

"It was worst health period of my life to be honest. And you know what? It was worse than my heart period."

In 2015, he had been due to go on tour with his comedy partner and Shooting Stars co-host Vic Reeves when the pair had to cancel the dates due to Mortimer requiring an operation on his heart.

Fast Show star Whitehouse, also an actor who appeared in 2017 satirical historical comedy The Death Of Stalin, said that Mortimer had endured "misery and pain in equal measure" over the last year.

Mortimer replied, saying: "Your nervous system, Paul, what even is it?... Some electricity of some sort going around?"

He added: "At the moment, me consultant (is) saying I'm heading for 80% muscle recovery in me leg, and she said: 'You'll just have to see what that means for you.'

"The muscles I've lost, I've lost, but other ones can compensate for it, do you know what I mean?"

Whitehouse asked if protein and exercise would help regain the muscles.

Mortimer replied: "I can make the other muscles stronger but I have a terrible feeling I'm never going to be able to run again, and you know how I used to like to run, Paul."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

NHS hospitals and buildings are plagued by rats, cockroaches, silverfish and other pests, results from the latest staff survey have revealed.

Hospital of horrors: NHS 'plagued by rats and cockroaches' as well as 'sewage leaks and crumbling ceilings'

Sadiq Khan will get new powers to overrule councils that block pubs and clubs opening late

Boost for London's nightlife as Khan goes to war with local councils that block pubs and clubs opening late

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen to put out seven 'lost' albums of unreleased songs

Val Kilmer & Tom Cruise in Top Gun

Tom Cruise breaks silence on 'dear friend' Val Kilmer's death with emotional tribute to Top Gun co-star

Virginia Giuffre

Woman driving Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre during crash that left her with 'four days to live' breaks silence

Prescot, Merseyside

Girl, 13, dies in horror Merseyside house fire as five children escape unharmed

File photo of a Harris hawk

Dive-bombing hawk that terrorised village with string of blood-soaked attacks finally caught by local hero

Exclusive
'Donald Trump has made Putin comfortable,' Mikhail Khodorkovsky has warned

'Trump has made Putin comfortable' despite massive Ukraine war losses, exiled former oligarch tells LBC

New images show the moment the two ships collided.

New images show moment of North Sea crash as investigation reveals neither ship had a 'dedicated lookout'

Washington, DC, USA. 15 Apr 2017. A balloon caricature of President Donald Trump appears at the Tax March protest near the U.S. Capitol.

Buy US chlorinated chicken in return for lower tariffs, Trump tells Britain

From jeans to jet fuel and firearms to whiskey: Britain unveils lengthy list of US items facing tariffs

From jeans to jet fuel and firearms to whisky: Britain unveils lengthy list of US items facing tariffs

Forensic investigators at Milton Keynes train station after a man was shot dead by armed police officers.

Knifeman shot dead by police in Milton Keynes after moving 'at speed' towards officers named for first time

The bodies of Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn were discovered by a neighbour.

British couple found dead in south of France home being ‘treated as murder-suicide’

Kerri Pegg, former governor of HMP Kirkham,

Prison governor denies relationship with drug boss 'Jesse Pinkman' after flip flops carrying his DNA found in her flat

Julie Goodyear as Bet Lynch. Her husband has now deleted a recent photograph of the actress which he shared in honour of her 83rd birthday on Wednesday

Julie Goodyear's husband removes rare photo of Coronation Street star after dementia diagnosis amid blacklash

The vehicle was later extinguished after the driver, covered in flames, emerged from the vehicle.

Amsterdam Dam Square car explosion sees driver engulfed in flames - just days after mass stabbing