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Bradley Walsh on heart disease fears after death of his father that prompted weight loss

Turning 60 was a 'milestone' for The Chase host

Bradley Walsh chose to overhaul his lifestyle as he reflected on his father’s tragic death aged 59.

TV presenter Bradley revealed that doctors had warned him he was a “time bomb” if he didn’t lose weight and give up fatty food.

Bradley is at risk of heart disease after the “silent killer” claimed the life of his dad, Daniel.

Bradley Walsh has started shaping up after warnings over his health (Credit: SplashNews.com)

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Bradley Walsh on his dad’s death

“I had a hang-up because my father, Daniel, died at the age of 59,” Bradley explained in an interview with The Sun On Sunday last summer.

“I had it in the back of my mind that I just had to get past my dad’s age. So turning 60 was a bit of milestone.

“I was 33 when he passed away. I’d just done the Royal Variety Show performance which helped launch my career, but my dad died from heart failure two weeks after that and never got to see it.”

Bradley Walsh
Bradley was a young comedian just starting out when his father died (Credit: ITV)

Bradley started going for regular tests after realising the condition is hereditary and it was also discovered he has hereditary high chloesterol from his mum’s side.

The TV fave started going for regular check ups at a specialist cardiac clinic and he revealed just before lockdown he got the news that he needed to shape up.

Bradley Walsh: a ‘time bomb’

“I’m not on statins but what my heart guy said was, ‘Look, Brad, if you start training, all that (cholesterol) will drop. You need to get fit’.

“I was a time bomb. I was quite lucky in regards to the calcium test but my doctor said I produce too much cholesterol. It’s a silent killer.

“And this was literally just prior to lockdown. Then lockdown hit. I got on the scales and saw I’d hit 14st 9lbs, the heaviest I’ve ever been. I really was quite big.”

The Chase host realised he needed to change his lifestyle (Credit: ITV)

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How did Bradley lose weight?

For Bradley it was a wake-up call and he got “stuck in” to losing weight.

Bradley turned 60 on June 4 last year and began to watch what he ate after that, although he had already cut out drinking.

He did away with the cakes, bread and pasta and started including more vegetables, fruit and fish in his diet. He also got a puppy so is out walking every day.

However, he recently admitted he had let himself go a little, gaining eight pounds on the set of The Larkins.

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Carena Crawford
Associate Editor (Soaps)

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