Richard Bacon had PTSD after near-death experience

ichard Bacon suffered from PTSD after visiting the hospital ward where he nearly died.

The 42-year-old star became seriously ill with a mystery lung infection in July after arriving back in the UK from Los Angeles and had to be placed in a medically-induced coma to save his life, with doctors even telling Bacon\'s family they "expected him to die".

Bacon returned to Lewisham hospital in South East London to film scenes for ITV documentary \'Immigration: Who Do We Let In?\' but had to leave after being overwhelmed with feelings of claustrophobia.

According to The Sun newspaper, the former \'Blue Peter\' presenter said: "When the cameras were turned off I was standing on the ward looking at the equipment I was hooked up to. I felt PTSD for sure. Memories were coming back of bleak moments and frightening moments. I started to feel overwhelmed, claustrophobic and I said, \'I have to stand outside.\' "

Bacon previously opened up on the experience, admitting the major health scare has made him make some changes to his diet and lifestyle.

Speaking to The Times Magazine, he said: "In 2018, I can go into a hospital, aged 42, be that fit, and have all that modern equipment around me and still nearly die? F*****g hell. I came that close. The first two nights, it was incredibly close."

Vowing to give up drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis - which is legal in Los Angeles where he lives and works - he added: "I\'m giving up drinking. I had been drinking four or five glasses of wine every night. In LA, I\'ve been smoking weed. It\'s all legal over there. I\'m going to stop all that ... I\'ve decided to really, really embrace health from here on in.

"I\'ve always drunk too much, I\'ve always drunk too quickly, so I\'m giving up drinking altogether forever as a result of what happened to me."