Andrea McLean has delivered a heartfelt message of gratitude after surviving a nightmarish health scare. The 55-year-old Loose Women panellist was struck down by severe flu-like symptoms before collapsing at home in December.
In what turned into an emergency situation, Andrea was taken to hospital where she was diagnosed with not only acute kidney injury and sepsis but also severe pneumonia, which drastically reduced her lung capacity. The star spent several days in the hospital, an experience she described as a ‘sensory overload’, replete with glaring lights, incessant screaming, shouting, and an almost constant ‘smell of poo’.
Now on the mend at home, Andrea shared her ordeal and road to recovery in a candid Substack blog on Sunday. While life isn’t ‘back to normal’, she took a moment to thank people for their kind words and shared an impromptu selfie on Instagram.
“Just wanted to say thank you for being so nice,” she said to her 300,000 followers, before adding: “This photo was taken 60 seconds ago. I didn’t realise my hair looks so crazy and my chin gets so red when I rest it on my hand.”
The post was instantly met with a wave of support, including a warm note from fellow TV presenter Lisa Snowdon, who posted: “Huge love & hugs darling.”
Meanwhile, another user penned: “So sorry to read how poorly you have been and your adventurous stay in hospital. Wishing you a full recovery very soon,” as someone else chimed in: “Get well soon. Sounds awful. Sending love and best wishes.”
Beyond her diagnosis, Andrea was left ‘terrified’ by the behaviour of other patients in her ward, including six women who seemed to have dementia. Some were incredibly distressed by her presence, with one demanding to know why Andrea was there and repeatedly pulling on her ‘flimsy’ bed curtain.
She found it difficult to sleep in this ward and even asked hospital staff if she could continue treatment at home. Despite some resistance, medics eventually agreed she could go do this to sleep but must return every day for drips, tests and medication.
“It’s now February, and I’m still not well enough to handle normal stuff like getting up and rushing out the door to do the jobs I’d been booked to do,” Andrea wrote in her blog. “…because every part of that process would end with me falling down, or at the very least sitting on a tube station floor feeling very unwell and embarrassed at the stares.
“I’m still having ‘funny turns’ while out for a walk, or attempting the mildest of exercise. It means I haven’t really started 2025 yet.”