Coronation Street legend Ken Morley has claimed that he narrowly escaped death after contracting coronavirus a year ago.
The veteran actor, 77, is convinced he caught an early strain of the killer bug over a year ago, with his illness leaving him hospitalised for three days.
Ken, who played Reg Holdsworth in the ITV soap until from 1989 to 1995, told how he was in a ‘daze’ for days after falling ill around Christmas 2018 while starring in the Cinderella pantomime in York.
Illness: Coronation Street legend Ken Morley has claimed that he narrowly escaped death after contracting coronavirus a year ago
The former soap star went on to say that he’d ‘never been that seriously ill ever before’ having had several bouts of ‘severe flu’ in his lifetime.
While in hospital, he was informed by doctors that the unnamed illness had mainly affected ‘Chinese students’ living in the area.
He told the Daily Star: ‘I had suffered severe flu several times before in my life, but nothing to compare to that virus. What I went through was entirely different to anything I had ever had before.’
Ken added: ‘The run-in with what I thought was the flu, but am now convinced was a precursor to coronavirus, was looking like the final nail in the coffin – I can honestly say I’ve never felt as close to the final curtain as when I collapsed after being helped off stage.
Hospitalised: The veteran actor, 77, is convinced he caught an early strain of the killer bug over a year ago, with his illness leaving him hospitalised for three days
‘I had never been that seriously ill ever before and was taken by ambulance to the hospital in York, where I was literally in a daze for three days.’
Ken has had several health scares in the past including prostate cancer and a quadruple bypass, but he says ‘nothing was as bad’ as his virus.
Reg’s words come as a whole host of stars have confirmed they have been tested positive for COVID-19.
Scary: Ken, who played Reg Holdsworth in the ITV soap until from 1989 to 1995, told how he was in a ‘daze’ for days after falling ill around Christmas 2018 while starring in the Cinderella pantomime in York (pictured in character in 1993)
Struck down: The former soap star went on to say that he’d ‘never been that seriously ill ever before’ having had several bouts of ‘severe flu’ in his lifetime
The former GMTV host Fiona Phillips revealed on Twitter that she was suffering from coronavirus.
Fiona, 59, added that the virus is ‘not very pleasant’ and outlined her symptoms as a sore throat, dry cough, headache and tiredness.
Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were the first Hollywood couple to reveal they had been tested positive for coronavirus during a holiday to the Gold Coast in Australia.
The Forrest Gump actor and his wife, both 63, announced the positive test results earlier this month on Instagram urging the public to ‘take care’.
Hanks revealed they had experienced symptoms including the common cold, body aches and chills before they decided to get tested.
Days later, Idris Elba revealed he too had contracted the virus and that he and wife Sabrina had gone into self isolation.
The Luther star, 47, had attended the WE Day UK Charity event and concert in London on Tuesday March 4 with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Another case: The former GMTV host Fiona Phillips revealed on Twitter that she was suffering from coronavirus
Taken ill: The news comes a week after Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the novel coronavirus during a holiday to the Gold Coast in Australia
Sophie announced she tested positive for the virus last week and has gone into self-quarantine.
Bond girl Olga Kurylenko revealed on Wednesday she’s ‘feeling better’ three days after announcing she had tested positive for coronavirus.
Meanwhile, it was revealed recently that former page 3 girl Linda Lusardi, 61, and her husband Sam Kane, 51, have been taken to hospital and will be tested for COVID-19 after contracting symptoms.
Sam posted on Facebook on Friday afternoon that the couple have been hospitalised and will be tested for the virus ‘very soon.’
The talent agency director added that he and Linda are both ‘stable but ‘very ill,’ and asked for ‘prayers and positivity.’
Brave: Days later, Idris Elba revealed he too had contracted the virus and that he and wife Sabrina had gone into-self isolation
Bond girl: Olga Kurylenko revealed on Wednesday she’s ‘feeling better’ three days after announcing she had tested positive for coronavirus