Hairy Bikers star Si King reveals he nearly ignored brain aneurysm and ‘went back to bed'

HAIRY BIKERS star Simon King is best known for showcasing his culinary skills alongside his co-star and pal Dave Myers on the duo's popular BBC programmes, but the television chef has now opened up on the potentially fatal moment he "didn't think he'd survive" after suffering a brain aneurysm.

By Michelle Marshall, Senior Showbiz Reporter

The Hairy Bikers reveal their weight loss tips

Simon King, 53, and Dave Myers, 62, will be making their first non-BBC appearance for new Channel 5 show The Hairy Bikers Chocolate Challenge, which airs tonight. Ahead of this, the former spoke candidly about a brain haemorrhage he suffered but nearly ignored.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, Simon - commonly referred to as Si - detailed the lead up to his brain aneurysm being diagnosed, after suffering from severe headaches.

The Hairy Bikers star admitted he was tempted “to go back to bed” after he began to experience symptoms of the condition.

Simon explained: “I had a brain haemorrhage in 2014. It wasn’t great.

“It was very sobering when my consultant said, ‘Look, you made a serious decision by taking yourself to the hospital’. But I did just think about going back to bed because I felt very exhausted.”

READ MORE: Dave Myers health: Hairy Biker reveals shocking health discovery

 Hairy Bikers star Si King on near-fatal condition he almost ignored

Hairy Bikers star Si King on near-fatal condition he almost ignored (Image: GETTY/WENN)

Si King admitted he nearly ignored his brain aneurysm

Si King admitted he nearly ignored his brain aneurysm (Image: WENN/ITV)

The TV chef revealed that the situation could have turned out to be fatal if he hadn't have gone to the hospital.

Simon continued: “[The doctor] said to me, 'If you went back to bed you would be dead'. So that was it.”

An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the vessel wall and commonly occurs in either the heart or the brain, according to the NHS.

If the blood vessel ruptures it can cause extensive brain damage and in some cases even death.

 

David Myers and Simon King were both diagnosed as 'morbidly obese'

David Myers and Simon King were both diagnosed as 'morbidly obese' (Image: GETTY)

The Hairy Bikers' stars Si King and David Myers will be on Channel 5

The Hairy Bikers' stars Si King and David Myers will be on Channel 5 (Image: GETTY)

Symptoms often include a sudden agonising headache, a stiff neck, sickness and vomiting as well as sensitivity to light.

Simon admitted he “didn’t think he’d survive” if he had remained overweight.

“If I hadn’t lost the weight I don’t think I would have survived,” he remarked.

“The problem with an aneurysm is the level of fatigue you go through during recovery. You simply can’t do anything. It used to take me all day to make one cup of tea when I first came home out of hospital.”

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The TV star added: “It was astonishing. I just slept so much.”

Fortunately, the Hairy Bikers star has since made a full recovery from his brain aneurysm, as he also chatted about the moment he was told he was “morbidly obese”.

The Hairy Bikers often travel the country and take food inspiration from the places they visit, however, seven years ago, Simon and his co-star Dave took steps to slim down as their weight began to impact their health with the former admitting the pair were “headed for a major fall”.

Simon explained: “I was casting a shadow like a walnut whip. It was just awful. I didn’t really feel good about myself.

“A GP mate of ours said, ‘Lads you’ve had a good run but it’s not going to last much longer if you don’t lose a load of weight.’”

He added: “We were morbidly obese and it was actually a sobering thing when someone tells you that you’re heading for a major fall because of the fat.

“I had something ridiculous like half my body was fat. It was just insane.”

The pair made the decision to change their lifestyle and dropped seven stone in weight loss.

The Hairy Bikers’ Chocolate Challenge airs tonight on Channel 5 at 9pm.

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