Jeremy Clarkson told he was 'days from death' in horror health scare

Former Top Gear star Jeremy Clarkson has opened up about the horror moment he was told he was 'days from death' after being rushed to hospital for a heart procedure

TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson has shared a harrowing account of being told by doctors that he was potentially just days away from death. The former Top Gear host recently underwent a heart procedure due to a sudden decline in his health, which he attributed to the "wearisome effects of growing old."

Clarkson recounted how his ordeal began while on holiday, swimming in the Indian Ocean, when he first experienced difficulties climbing stairs. Upon returning home, his condition rapidly deteriorated, leaving him feeling "clammy" with a "tightness in my chest" and "pins and needles in my left arm".

Prompted by the news of former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond's fatal heart attack, Clarkson sought medical attention. He was taken to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford by ambulance, where an electrocardiogram (ECG), blood tests, and X-rays ruled out a heart attack.

However, instead of being discharged, he was sent to the operating theatre for further treatment. Clarkson explained: "But then one of the doctors, who was so senior he wasn't even a mister, decided that before sending me home with a headache pill and a "fraud of the week" certificate, he'd put me in a big Polo mint."

Jeremy Clarkson opened up about his health ordeal in his Sunday Times column, where he detailed the moments leading to a life-saving procedure, reports the Mirror. "And after coming out of that, I was off to the operating theatre. Because my bankruptcy was most definitely just around the corner. Days away? 'Maybe,' he said," wrote Clarkson. Within a mere two hours, he had a stent fitted—a device crucial for preventing potential heart attacks by boosting heart's blood flow.

Reflecting on the experience, Clarkson remarked, "It wasn't especially painful. Just odd," and expressed his retrospective realisation: "Crikey, that was close."

He even injected some humour into his situation, noting his musings on making certain lifestyle changes, "wondering what water tastes like and if it's possible to make celery interesting" following his health scare. After a battle with pneumonia while on holiday in Spain, which led him to quit smoking, Clarkson's recent appearance became a point of concern for fans.

This week heightened concerns among his followers after they noticed a "suspicious looking" dressing on his wrist while he promoted his new book on social media. Seen discussing book recommendations post-holiday with Lisa Hogan, Clarkson made comments on various novels before steering the conversation towards his own publication, Diddly Squat: Home to Roost, whilst sporting what seemed to be a wrist injury.