how did jonnie peacock lose his leg
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Jonnie Peacock: Paralympic star’s life from meningitis to Strictly

The former Strictly star has enjoyed a wildly successful career

Jonnie Peacock is one of the UK’s biggest Paralympic stars.

The athlete has experienced quite the career, ranging from gold medals to the Strictly dancefloor.

But what else is there to know about him?

how did jonnie peacock lose his leg
Jonnie Peacock lost his leg when he was just 5-years-old (Credit: Splashnews)

How did Jonnie Peacock lose his leg and what is his disability?

He’s a huge star in British Paralympics, but just how did Jonnie Peacock, 28, lose his leg?

It happened at the age of just five.  He contracted meningitis and had fallen into a coma as the disease launched an attack on his brain and body.

Doctors told his mother, Linda, that they would have to amputate his right leg below the knee to save his life.

She had to say goodbye at the time because doctors warned there was a high risk he may die.

“I can now reflect on what she went through – hugely,” Jonnie told The Guardian.

“I think it affected her far more than me. Of course, I’m the one walking around with one leg but I have an OK life. But it was very hard for her to be told I was probably going to die and that if I came back there could be lots of brain damage… which there is!”

Jonnie affectionately refers to his “stump” as his “sausage leg”.

Athletics wasn’t his first love. Jonnie originally wanted to play football, but he quickly learned at school where his talents truly lay.

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A post shared by Jonnie Peacock (@04jonpea)

Is Jonnie Peacock married? Does he have a wife?

Jonnie lives in Loughborough, Leicestershire, with his long-term girlfriend and fellow athlete, Sally Brown.

They first met at the World Junior Championships in 2010.

The couple doesn’t currently have any children. However, they do own a French Bulldog called Luna.

Opening up about their relationship previously, Jonnie said: “I’m quite picky, there’s always one thing, isn’t there? Things just don’t click. But they do with her.

“She’s nice and fiery for me, which is fun and makes life interesting. No day is a bore.”

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Where was Jonnie Peacock born and when was he on Strictly?

Jonnie was born on May 28, 1993, in Cambridge. He grew up in the village of Shepreth. He attended the St. Ivo Academy as a teenager.

He’s enjoyed quite the career as an all-star athlete.

He won Olympic gold for the first time in front of a home audience at the London 2012 Olympic Games and did the same in Rio 2016.

how did jonnie peacock lose his leg
Jonnie appeared on Strictly in 2017 (Credit: Splashnews)

His charisma and charm also led to Channel 4 picking him as a host for the 2018 Winter Paralympics.

In 2017, he became the first amputee Paralympian to star on Strictly Come Dancing.

However, he ended up leaving during week nine.

Jonnie's Blade Camp on Channel 4
Jonnie’s new show starts tonight (August 10) on Channel 4 (Credit: Channel 4)

What is his new show, Jonnie’s Blade Camp, about?

The star’s new show, Jonnie’s Blade Camp, airs on Channel 4 tonight (August 10) at 10pm.

In the two-part series, Jonnie sets out to help five young amputees achieve their true potential, just like he did.

Viewers will watch the five youngsters over the course of a year as they work toward learning how to run the 100m on prosthetic blades.

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