Jeremy Clarkson reveals he had urgent heart procedure after 'sudden deterioration' in his health

By Emma Soteriou

Jeremy Clarkson has revealed that he had an urgent heart procedure after a "sudden deterioration" in his health.

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The 64-year-old opened up about the "wearisome effects of growing old" following his health scare.

Clarkson said a swim while on holiday in the Indian Ocean appeared to cause him difficulties using the stairs, which when he returned home meant a "sudden deterioration began to gather pace".

He said he had symptoms of being "clammy", with a "tightness in my chest", and "pins and needles in my left arm".

After hearing that former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond had a fatal heart attack, he decided to go to see his doctor.

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Writing in The Sunday Times, Clarkson said he went to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford via an ambulance, where a heart attack was ruled out after he had an electrocardiogram (ECG), blood tests and X-rays.

He said he then went to an "operating theatre" after further checks and doctors said he was perhaps "days away" from getting very ill.

"It seems that of the arteries feeding my heart with nourishing blood, one was completely blocked and the second of three was heading that way," Clarkson said.

He said a stent, which can save lives and stop future heart attacks through improving blood flow to the heart, was fitted in around two hours.

"It wasn't especially painful. Just odd," he said, adding that he has been thinking: "Crikey, that was close."

Clarkson concluded saying he was "wondering what water tastes like and if it's possible to make celery interesting" following the health scare, as he seemed to consider lessening his meat intake.

He has previously revealed he had to quit smoking after contracting pneumonia on holiday in Spain.