Jeremy Clarkson Adapts to Life After Urgent Heart Surgery

 

Jeremy Clarkson has opened up about the significant lifestyle changes he faces following "extremely urgent" heart surgery, during which he had two stents fitted to enhance blood flow to his heart. The former Top Gear host, now 64, revealed that while he was untroubled by the operation itself, he finds the prospect of giving up alcohol, exercising regularly, and following a strict diet far more daunting.

In a candid column for The Sun, Clarkson described his new social reality, stating, “If I go to a party, I must stand in a corner, nursing some refreshing elderflower juice, before going home at about 9:30. That’s terrifying too.” Despite stepping back from his iconic car show with Richard Hammond and James May, Clarkson keeps an active schedule, managing a farm, brewery, and pub, alongside writing three newspaper columns and hosting the ITV quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

The changes in his diet are particularly challenging; Clarkson noted he must eliminate red meat, chips, butter, chocolate, and even the "interesting bit" of an egg. Reflecting on his first week under the new regime, he described the experience as “horrific.”

Exercise is another aspect he is reluctant to embrace, regarding it as merely a means to move from one leisurely activity to another. He quipped, “I must even go on the sort of ‘walk’ where I end up back where I started. What’s the point of that?”

Despite his objections to the new lifestyle, Clarkson expressed a newfound appreciation for life after his health scare. “Last week, when the Grim Reaper poked his nose round the door, I decided that actually, I quite fancied living a little bit longer. I want to see my grandchildren grow up,” he said, reflecting on the beauty of a new day. “I saw the dawn this morning, and it was magnificent, so I’d quite like to see a few more of those, too.”

According to a recent study by the British Heart Foundation, cardiovascular diseases caused the premature deaths of over 39,000 individuals in England in 2022, highlighting the urgency of heart health awareness.