Russell Grant has undergone a major operation to have a lump removed from his brain.
The 71-year-old astrologer and beloved reality star – who appeared on Strictly – went under the knife to have a lump taken out of his brain.
It’s reported that the growth had threatened to “blank out” his optic nerve, rendering him blind.
However, doctors successfully removed the lump from his pituitary gland during a five-hour operation.
Sadly, his struggles are far from over.
Strictly latest: Russell Grant undergoes major surgery
Now Russell has been told not to sneeze, blow his nose or travel for the next six months. This is in order to avoid any serious complications that could send him back into surgery.
Russell told The Mirror: “I am now on the road to recovery. There are a few complications to sort out so the post-op stuff has already started.”
It seems he’s not done with going under the knife yet, either.
He confessed that the next on his operation “to-do list” is to get his knee done.
“As you know I saw something pretty major coming when giving my lecture in Blackpool on December 1, 2019, so I was prepared.
“I didn’t shout about the growth as I’d been waiting for a knee operation which was due Easter 2020, so many of you would have presumed I was going in for that. Covid ruined that. So it’s next on my list of things to do.”
Russell Grant’s health issues
The TV star has been plagued by health issues in recent years.
He previously revealed that he faced recurrent illnesses as a boy, and revealed he’s been suffering from tinnitus for the past 40 years.
“I ended up with bronchitis nearly every Christmas and often suffered from laryngitis,” he said back in 2013.
“I’m also asthmatic and as an adult, I’ve teetered on the edge of pneumonia and pleurisy because of my ear, nose and throat problems.”
Who’s favourite to win Strictly this year?
Russell appeared on Strictly in 2011 and was partnered with Flavia Cacace.
He was the seventh contestant to leave, but not before he’d been fired out of a cannon.
Meanwhile, the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing has been more action-packed than ever.
According to some bookies, Hamza Yassin remains the strong favourite at 4/6 to raise the Glitterball trophy.
However, Helen Skelton’s odds of winning Strictly 2022 have recently been cut to just 6/4.
Will Mellor, meanwhile, is rated as third favourite to triumph, priced at longer odds of 20/1.
Sadly, Fleur is given much, much less of a chance to win. Oddschecker.com currently reckons the former X Factor star is only in with a 66/1 shot of winning the title.
Read more: Strictly viewers fume over ‘unbelievable’ treatment of Fleur East during results show
The Strictly Come Dancing semi-final airs on BBC One, Sunday December 11, at 7.15pm.
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