The TV presenter claims he suffered from a particular condition following a hair-raising moment while filming his latest ITV show with son Barney
Bradley Walsh has admitted to suffering from a nerve-wracking health condition, claiming it is so bad that “people think I’m making it up”.
The host of The Chase shared his concerns just as the new season of his popular travelogue Bradley and Barney Walsh: Breaking Dad kicks off, with him and his son jetting off to Japan for the job of a lifetime.
The dynamic duo are treated to the exhilarating experiences Tokyo has to offer, including attempting to navigate one of Japan’s notoriously unstable rope bridges.
And it was that moment which prompted Bradley to share his genuine fear and battle with “vertigo” during the nerve-wracking crossing.
Speaking to Chris Evans on his Virgin Radio breakfast show, the tension of the moment was highlighted as Chris spoke to the father-son team, telling Bradley: “You genuinely have the vertigo because you could tell.”
Bradley then said: “I know! People think I’m making it up.” However, his fear was quickly confirmed as authentic by Chris, who observed: “There’s no way, you were white as a sheet.”
Barney later chimed in: “It does terrify him.”
Thankfully, Bradley also mentioned his progress in overcoming these daunting moments, saying: “I’d like to think that since the early days, I’ve got a bit better.”
Vertigo, as described by the NHS website, is the sensation of spinning or the environment moving around you, impacting balance and potentially lasting from mere seconds to several days or even longer.
The NHS suggests that, while vertigo often improves without any treatment, people should consult a GP if symptoms persist or start to impact everyday activities, reports Gloucestershire Live.
Vertigo is often mistakenly called a fear of heights. However, the correct term for that is acrophobia, which can also trigger physical symptoms such as increased sweating, chest pain or tightness, nausea or light headedness, as well as a rapid heartbeat when faced with high places, Healthline reports.
In related news, Barney shared that he doesn’t feel as comfortable with daring stunts as he did in his younger days.
“When we first started I was 19… when we were climbing up a rock face, or jumping out of a plane, I took to that like a duck to water,” he said.
“It was very, very easy to do those things. But now that the years have gone on – I’m 27 now – I’m having a go at some of the stuff we did in this series, and there are moments when you think, ‘Oh, what if this goes wrong?’.
“You don’t have those thoughts when you’re young.”
Bradley has had other challenges besides his “vertigo”. He has previously spoken about suffering from blepharitis, which can cause his eyes to appear swollen and red.
“People don’t realise I have seriously bad blepharitis,” he said. “I have to take one pill a day for it or I really struggle. I am going to need my eyes operated on at some point to sort it out.
“So many times, people have commented on how I look. But they don’t realise. If I take medication though, I’m fine.”
The earlier series of Breaking Dad saw the father and son duo travel across Europe, Scandinavia and the US. Their adventures included taking a 220m high bungee jump in Switzerland and a heart-stopping cliff dive on Italy’s Amalfi Coast.
While critics have been lukewarm, with the Radio Times describing the show as having “a distinct feel of scripted banter”, the show has clearly resonated with audiences. It has attracted an average of around five million viewers per episode, surpassing the ratings of many similar shows.