Jamie Oliver shares details of agonising health battle that left him unable to stand

18 January 2024, 08:35

Jamie Oliver has described how he is battling to recover his health after suffering a debilitating health condition for four years.

The chef, 48, who is married to Jools, 49, said he had been left unable to stand for more than 40 seconds at a time due to multiple slipped discs.

He told The Sunday Times Magazine: “I'm just getting back into normal gyming as I've had four years of three slipped discs. It's about managing it — my job doesn't allow me not to work. 

“If I stop, this whole thing falls apart. I've had weeks where I've been able to stand for only 40 seconds at a time.”

Jamie said despite the pain, he has persisted with a daily routine of waking up at 4.30am and working out with a trainer before he starts work.

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Back in 2022 Jamie explained how changing his diet had helped him drop lots of weight.

He told the Radio Times at the time: “I pushed meat down, pushed veggie up, got more sleep and more movement. I lost 12 kilos (two stone) quite quickly and I didn’t do it through not eating. I ate a lot, more than I used to.”

Slipped discs are a painful condition when the tissue between the bones in your spine moves out of place - resulting in lower back pain, neck pain, numbness, tingling in the shoulders, back and feet, muscle weakness and swelling.

It makes it difficult to bend or straighten the back and can hinder ability to work and exercise.

Slipped discs can need surgery but often sort themselves out with rest and gentle movement.

Jamie married wife Jools in 2000. The couple have five children: Poppy, 21, Daisy, 20, Petal, 14, Buddy, 12, and River, seven.