Anita Dobson, 75, gives Brian May, 77, health update after Queen legend’s stroke ordeal left him ‘unable to control arm’
Sir Brian May’s wife, Anita Dobson, issued an update on the star’s health today after he suffered a stroke in August 2024 – claiming he was back “to his old self”.
In September 2024, the Queen guitarist took to his Instagram account to reveal to his 3.4 million followers that he had been rushed to the hospital in late August.
Explaining he had suffered a minor stroke, he explained: “I’m here to bring you, first of all, some news, I think. The good news is that I can play guitar after the events of the last few days.
“I say this because I was in some doubt because that little health hiccup happened about a week ago. What they called it was a ‘minor stroke’.
“All of a sudden, out of the blue, I didn’t have any control over this arm, so it was a little scary. I had the most fantastic care and attention from Frimley Hospital; blue lights flashing the lot, very exciting.”
He added that it took “sheer willpower” to recover and noted: “I couldn’t get a fork from the table to my mouth without it all going all over the place. It was scary.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Mickey Rourke, 72, in fresh ‘fat-shaming’ row with housemate hours after Jojo Siwa homophobia clashChris Hughes applauded amid JoJo Siwa and Mickey Rourke ‘homophobia’ row as CBB fans praise reactionJoJo Siwa’s partner breaks silence and slams ‘pig’ Mickey Rourke for homophobic comments
Fortunately, his recovery was quick, as he explained to Premier Guitar magazine earlier this year: “After only a few days, it’s amazing what you can get back. By sheer willpower, you just start retraining your muscles.”
Assuring fans that he was “good,” he estimated he had regained 95 percent of his abilities and said that “is enough.”
Today, his wife and former EastEnders actress reassured fans of the star’s health and further confirmed he was back on track.
She joined Good Morning Britain hosts Ed Balls and Charlotte Hawkins, where she confirmed her husband’s health update.
After they enquired about his health, Dobson said: “Thank you both for asking. I’m very happy to say he’s very well now. Back to his old self.”
Dobson and May have been together for almost 40 years, having first met in 1986 and later married in November 2000.
Dobson previously gave an update on the hard time that May was having during his recovery, which was impacted due to them both getting ill after Christmas.
She told The Sun: “The start of the year has been up and down. We both had the flu, but we took the kids to Lapland. 15 of them.
“Brian is stable now. Brian has never been happier since we moved. For me, it’s been a curveball as I’m a London girl, born and bred, so going to the countryside to a house that needs a lot of work was a bit of a shock.
“It makes you realise that at any minute it could be you. You don’t have to necessarily be old, it could be anyone.”
She continued: “You think you are fit, you see these people who run marathons and then at a young age they are gone.”
Dobson joined Balls and Hawkins to discuss her recent surprise return to EastEnders as Angie Watts and her upcoming role as the enigmatic Mrs Flood in Doctor Who.