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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Lisa McLoughlin

Good Morning Britain presenter issues health update after undergoing emergency surgery

Good Morning Britain star Richard Gaisford has shared a health update after being left with “big hole” in his leg.

The show's Chief Correspondent underwent emergency surgery at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth over the weekend to treat an infection he contracted while reporting in Ukraine.

Gaisford thanked concerned viewers for their kind messages and shared his hopes to be back on the TV soon while sharing details of his recovery.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, the 51-year-old shared: “Am grateful for so many kind messages today. It’s all a bit overwhelming. Glad to report I’m not at death’s door, and most certainly wasn’t ‘rushed’ to hospital.

“I developed an infection in my leg in Ukraine that didn’t respond to antibiotics. I sought advice from the NHS.”

Continuing: “Doctors decided an immediate operation to open up the affected area and clean out the infection was the best course of action.

“I have a big hole, but hopefully nothing nasty left inside. I should be back working soon, but might not return to the frontlines for a while.”

He concluded his update by sharing his ‘bemusement by all the interest’ in his health and urged show viewers to remember those in Ukraine.

“Am still a little bemused by all the interest, but if you’ve suddenly discovered my feed for the first time please take a look at our recent Ukraine assignment,” he added.

“It’s really important we don’t forget the suffering of people there, much more so than my personal health issues!”

His update comes after GMB’s Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley said they were sending Gaisford “our very best wishes” as he recovered in hospital.

Speaking on the ITV breakfast show on Monday, Reid said she hoped he would have a "swift recovery", with Madeley adding: "Get well soon mate."

Gaisford had revealed his ordeal in a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday.

Alongside a picture of himself wearing a hospital gown in bed, he also praised the NHS staff who had been taking care of him, describing his treatment as “first class”.

"Not quite the Sunday I’d planned. Many thanks to the incredible team @PHU_NHS for amazing care and a spot of emergency surgery,” Gaisford’s social media post had read.

"NHS at its very best. I realise there are untold pressures at the moment, but the service I received was first class and hugely appreciated." He finishes by writing "NHS" with a heart emoji.

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