Former Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas addressed the health struggles of his brother, Adam, during the latest episode of their podcast.
Adam, who’s best known for roles in Emmerdale and Waterloo Road, appeared on Strictly Come Dancing this year. He became the sixth celebrity to be sent home. However, he had been dealing with a debilitating health condition behind the scenes.
Dealing with rheumatoid arthritis
In August, Adam said he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis after being in “a lot of pain” since January. It means that he is sometimes unable to walk or get out of bed.
He was unable to join his brothers for the latest episode of Mancs On The Mic – which he records alongside brothers Ryan and Scott.
It was the latter who explained Adam’s absence. He said: “He’s not hungover, he’s actually struggling with his arthritis. He has good days and bad days and today is one of those bad days.”
Ryan then added: “I always reach out to Adam and I can see it in his face and I can see the pain he’s going through.
“What happened during Strictly is he was on medication, adrenaline, and that’s what gets you through an experience like that. But I think now coming off the back of it, he did say the other day he was walking really funny.
“And it’s so so hard to watch, he went ‘Wow, the medication has worn off’. So he’s in a lot of discomfort and pain with this and I think he’s really suffering with it. And it’s not nice to watch.”
Adam left Strictly last month
Adam and his dance partner Luba Mushtuk were eliminated from the show last month. However, Ryan praised his younger brother for getting so far in the show. He said: “People have no idea what that guy’s been through.”
Rheumatoid arthritis is the second-most common form of arthritis and often begins between the ages of 40 and 50. It causes inflammation in the joints as it causes the immune system to attack itself.
There’s currently no cure, but treatments are available. Scientists aren’t sure of the cause. However, it’s thought that smoking, drinking a lot of coffee, and eating a lot of red meat could be risk factors.
Read more: Strictly fans express concern over Adam Thomas’ appearance: ‘He didn’t look well’
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