Homes Under the Hammer star Martin Roberts has opened up about his ongoing fears surrounding his health after a life-threatening cardiac emergency left him ‘hours from death’.
The presenter spoke to MailOnline about the emotional and physical toll this ordeal has taken, as well as his determination to make the most of whatever time he has left.
Martin Roberts fears ‘how long he has left’ after heart surgery
TV star Martin was diagnosed with pericardial effusion, a rare and dangerous condition involving a build-up of fluid in the sac surrounding the heart.
Left untreated, it can lead to cardiac tamponade. This is where the fluid compresses the heart and stops it from pumping effectively – a medical emergency that nearly cost him his life in 2022.
Reflecting on the severity of his condition, Martin said: “I went to see the consultant who did the emergency operation and I said to him, ‘So how long would I have survived?’ He said, ‘You probably wouldn’t have made it through the night. So it was just as well I was on duty… you probably had maybe two or three hours to live.'”
The presenter described the emotional weight of hearing this prognosis.
He said: “That was two to three hours from dying and not being here and not seeing the kids anymore, not fulfilling all my ambitions and doing all the things I want to do. That’s the psychological side of that. It takes a lot longer to get over than the physical side.”
Martin’s recovery has been far from straightforward. Despite surviving the ordeal, he still experiences chest twinges, which he admits trigger moments of panic.
“Every single time I get a twinge, I panic,” he revealed. “As anyone who has had any kind of problems with their heart would attest to it.”
Despite medical advice to slow down, Martin has channelled his energy into meaningful projects.
“I was told I need to slow down and take things easy,” he said. “But I’ve gone completely the other way.”
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Martin Roberts says work is about ‘making a difference’
Determined to leave a lasting legacy, Martin has embarked on community-focused initiatives. This has included the renovation of a pub in Wales.
The project not only aims to revitalise the local area but also offers training opportunities for disadvantaged young people.
He said it’s “not really about money” but about “making a difference”. He said he doesn’t “know how much time I’ve got left” so he wants to “do as much as I possibly can to help”.
Martin’s near-death experience began with symptoms he mistook for long COVID.
“I’d been feeling a bit poorly, under the weather for a couple of weeks,” the presenter recalled on This Morning. “It looked like it could have been the symptoms for long Covid… by the time it got to just after the bank holiday weekend, I was starting to be delirious, putting letters the wrong way round, I said to Kirsty, ‘We’ve got to go to hospital.'”
Doctors discovered the life-threatening fluid build-up and immediately performed surgery to drain it. However, Martin has refused to let fear dictate his life.
“This year has been a frighteningly horrible year for me,” he admitted during an appearance on The Big Celebrity Detox in 2023.
Read more: Ant and Dec hailed over ‘sweet’ gesture to former I’m A Celeb campmate Martin Roberts: ‘Made my day’
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