Russell Watson has revealed his health issues from his brain tumour battle are so severe that he has to take medication every day or die ‘within days’.
The I’m A Celebrity campmate was eliminated on last night’s show, and speaking with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield today, admitted it took him six years to agree to the series in the first place.
However, with his intake of medication being so high, and his health a constant risk, he had turned it down every time until this year.
Speaking on This Morning, he said: ‘That was predominantly one of the reasons why I felt, the previous times that I’ve been asked, that I might not be able to deal with the camp life.
‘I’ve got this massive daily intake of drugs. I don’t produce hormones naturally anymore, so I have to inject growth hormone, to take all my cortisol, basically keeps me alive.
‘If I didn’t take that I’d be gone within a couple of days.’
Russell has been open before about his fight against numerous brain tumours across 2006 and 2007, but is now in recovery.
However, there are several medications he needs to be on in order to keep healthy.
‘So all these different things that I have to do, this balance of hormones I have to get right on a daily basis, I thought that would affect my ability to be able to do the best for myself,’ he added.
‘But once I got in there and figured it all out it was, I was absolutely fine.’
As a result, Russell would take extra time in bed in the morning, as his body needs time every day to adjust to his essential medication.
‘When I come round, I’m like a zombie so I have to take this medication. I was in bed an hour extra than everyone else, waiting for it to all kick in.
‘Sometimes that was a bit frustrating but once I told everyone what I had to do, they were all really understanding and, I just got on with the day.’
Thankfully, he hasn’t let his health problems get in the way of his career and goals – and even joked it had added benefits.
Before heading into the camp, Russell spoke again about his health – and joked the hormones meant that he was able to look younger as a result.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.
Credit: Original article published here.
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