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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Connie Rusk

Sandi Toksvig seriously ill in Australian hospital as she cancels tour and can't fly home

Former Great British Bake Off host Sandi Toksvig is seriously ill in hospital with bronchial pneumonia in Australia.

The presenter, 64, has had to cancel her New Zealand tour dates as she is too unwell to travel, with her team releasing a statement on Twitter saying their "main priority" is getting her home to the UK.

Bronchopneumonia is a type of pneumonia that affects the bronchi in the lungs.

This condition commonly results from a bacterial infection, but viral and fungal infections can also cause it. Symptoms can vary but often include coughing, difficulty breathing, and fever.

A statement on Sandi's Twitter was released on Saturday. It read: "Due to illness, Sandi has cancelled the New Zealand leg of her tour.

Former Great British Bake Off host Sandi Toksvig is seriously ill in hospital (Twitter)

"She has been admitted to hospital with bronchial pneumonia while still in Australia and is unable to travel & perform. Our main priority is getting her home to the UK as soon as she is well enough - Team Toksvig".

Fans soon took to the comment section to send their well-wishes to Sandi, with some saying they had noticed how she had battled through her last stage shows in Australia, seeming visibly ill.

Sandi is too unwell to fly home (Twitter)

One wrote: "Saw her show in Sydney - she said she wasn’t 100% but you wouldn’t have known it.

"I now have an indelible memory of Sandi in maestro gear with her back to the audience facing a galaxy of stars as she lead a full house in conducting Ode To Joy. Breathtaking!"

Another added: "Wishing Sandi a full and speedy recovery. Tell her to make sure she RESTS, even when she think's she's better."

A third chimed: "Wishing Sandi a speedy recovery. Stay where it’s warm darling xx".

The presenter, 64, has had to cancel her New Zealand tour dates (Twitter)

Before heading over to Australia, Sandi had said: "‘I am thrilled to finally come down to Australia and New Zealand to perform my new show for my fans down under.

"It has been a perilous time for live performance, but I am thrilled to be back on the boards. And leaving our winter for an Australian summer is a bonus, I can’t wait."

Sandi was travelling across nine cites in Australia and New Zealand as part of her mammoth Sandi Toksvig live tour.

The show sees the TV star shares facts, stories and jokes in the one-woman show which was scheduled to take place across Australia and New Zealand over December.

Sandi co-presented The Great British Bake Off from 2017 to 2020 alongside comedian Noel Fielding. In 2020, she stepped down and was replaced by Matt Lucas.

Sandi co-presented The Great British Bake Off from 2017 to 2020 alongside comedian Noel Fielding (PA)

The host began her career playing Ethel in the long-running Saturday-morning show Number 73. Other credits to her name include Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Antiques Master.

In 2016, Sandi took over from Stephen Fry as host of QI. She also presents Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig on Channel 4.

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