Loose Woman Janet Street-Porter is back to work with a new hip just eight weeks old after a “life-changing operation”.
The renowned television presenter, 77, said 2024 has been the toughest year for her, worse than Covid and the time she married her fourth husband. He was 29 and she was going through a midlife crisis at 50.
Janet’s admission about her ill health and all the struggles she endured following the recent surgery comes after Charlene White’s update. Earlier this autumn, before Janet returned to the ITV daytime show, her colleague revealed she was recovering well.
However, the road to hip surgery and the immediate days after the procedure were nothing short of “hell” for Janet as she hit rock bottom.
Janet Street-Porter on hip replacement surgery
Janet has shared all the details about her hip condition before and after the operation in an article she’s written for The Daily Mail.
The lengthy piece begins with the TV star sharing her achievements and the relatively healthy life she led before her hip gave up.
Before getting deeper into her worn-out old hip, Janet describes 2024 as “the year from hell”. She suffered from osteoarthritis since her forties. Her lifestyle back in the day, including long walks, extensive exercise and more contributed to her condition.
So despite my obvious pain, I would not admit the secret dread I felt, preferring to pretend to go along with the ‘tough’ JSP image.
However, it was in March 2023 that she was first advised to get a hip replacement. But she kept pushing it until she had no choice.
“Refusing to contemplate essential hip surgery a year ago, I delayed an operation until I could hardly walk. Racked with pain, my face lined and aged by nights without sleep, I tossed and turned for hour after hour,” Janet writes.
As for her reluctance to have the surgery, the Loose Woman considered herself too independent to rely on others during recovery. She also feared the surgery would compel her to “slow down for weeks, possibly months”.
The other pressing reason was a sense of becoming an “oldie” overnight. She dreaded the thought of not being able to return to work.
When her condition became worse
However, no amount of self-assurance or pain medications could suppress her pain at one point. Although she would pride herself on not showing vulnerability, Janet was forced to face the reality soon.
“So despite my obvious pain, I would not admit the secret dread I felt, preferring to pretend to go along with the ‘tough’ JSP image,” she remarked.
Instead of getting the surgery, she tried to distract herself with more work. Although the Loose Woman was told her hip had to be replaced “before it was too late” or else she would “suffer serious mobility issues”, she continued to appear before the camera.
But the pain caught up with her and she turned into a “complete misery”. She couldn’t take the stairs at the studio, and her social life dwindled.
Janet confessed: “But by spring this year, I could not manage public transport and only took train journeys which didn’t involve changes. I cut down on socialising and took sleeping pills most nights.”
She barely functioned in the months leading to her surgery in October. Although she would force a smile on her face for one hour of screentime, she couldn’t wait to get home and rest.
Her house turned into a mess as she wasn’t able to go up and down the stairs. Things started to pile up as she had to stuff them in carrier bags for “the journey to the washing machine on the top floor once a week”.
Janet’s deteriorating health took a toll on her physical appearance. She suffered from acid reflux; her breathing became shallow. The TV star looked “hunched on telly, with huge bags” under her eyes.
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Life after surgery
Janet had her surgery on October 4. She slid downstairs at home in a rush to get to the hospital and bruised her back in the process. So they had to give her general anaesthesia instead of an epidural.
Although she woke up pain-free after the surgery thanks to the drugs, the magical effect wore off soon. She even posted the above selfie from the hospital.
What followed next for the TV star was a strong sense of helplessness and more pain. She was struggling to sleep on her back in a single bed in the hospital and “required another heavy dose of sleeping pills and tramadol”.
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However, she took her rehabilitation seriously and stayed at Lynden Hill Clinic near Reading. She was taken care of by professionals, so didn’t have to worry about chores.
The week-long stay was quite expensive and “cost the same as a trip to New York or a posh hotel in Scotland”. But Janet doesn’t regret spending her hard-earned money on getting better.
The first few days at home after her return from the centre were especially challenging. But she didn’t let the difficult moments dampen her spirit.
Janet does all her exercises religiously for at least 20 minutes every day. She only takes painkillers once or twice a week for better sleep. Above all, she knows she’s not a “crumbling oldie just yet”.
Read more: Loose Women star Janet Street-Porter handed warning as she admits to keeping roadkill in her freezer
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