The TV star has shared a health update
Carol Vordeman has spoken out about her health struggles ahead of The Pride of Britain Awards 2025(Image: WireImage)
Carol Vorderman has revealed that the last year has been ‘hellish’ as she opened up on a secret health battle.
The former Countdown star made a surprising announcement in October last year that she was stepping down from her Sunday radio show following a “health scare”.
A year on, she has exclusively revealed to OK! that she’s been “very poorly” over the past year, but has finally managed to recover.
Last year, Carol expressed her frustration at having to step down, stating that she felt “fed up”, but recognised the need to rebalance her work and personal life.
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Speaking to OK! Magazine before hosting the annual Pride of Britain Awards 2025, Carol disclosed: “This year has been a bit hellish health wise.”
She went on to say: “I’ve been very poorly, not related to the burnout but something entirely different. I’m on the right medications now, but it’s only in the last month or so that I felt I’ve got my mojo back. So watch out, world.”
The twice-divorced mother of two also shared that she had been leaning on her close friends for support and to help her enjoy her newfound free time.
“I’ve had lots of mini-breaks and holidays with friends – gay friends, female friends I’ve had for 50 years, or some I’ve known for 10. I’ve been back to horse racing, I’ve travelled to the States, to France, to everywhere, actually,” she said.
“Going back and seeing old friends has been wonderful. And the right friends, too. I think I’ve managed to drop all the bad ones. It’s easy to forget how much your old friends love you. I’ve had messages to say, ‘Oh, come and stay in our villa’, or ‘Come and visit us on our boat’. It’s lovely to be so loved, really.”
Carol Vorderman and Ashley Banjo are presenting the Pride of Britain Awards 2025(Image: Daily Mirror)
Carol also disclosed that she remains committed to her choice of maintaining a somewhat unconventional dating life, opting for multiple “special friends” rather than a traditional monogamous partnership.
She first opened up about her fresh perspective on romance during a chat with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on This Morning several years ago, and insists she has no second thoughts about being so candid.
“It really did a few headlines and I couldn’t understand why, because at that point I’d been practising it for a decade,” she says. “I’d say I’ve been single for 15 years, and I’ve had some fantastic adventures and I’ve loved it.”
Explaining further why she opts not to become anyone’s girlfriend, the Pride of Britain presenter said she couldn’t imagine having to seek anyone’s “permission” to live her life as she wishes.
“My brain never stops, and my capacity for adventure is huge. So, I don’t ever want to ask someone else again for permission to do something. It’s just not my nature. I’ve been married, I was happily married and I’ve got wonderful children,” she said.
“I have so much love in my life, and people who will come on adventures with me. I’ve got one friend who goes to the International Space Station every year, so I get a couple of phone calls from there. It’s wonderful! And I’m doing nothing wrong, because I’m single.”
