16 March 2024 , 18:40
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He lost 14lbs at a top weight loss centre but comedian Michael McIntyre also gained a bizarre phobia after his stay at Austria's £4,000-a-week Mayr Clinic. The star says he was warned not to eat apples as they would make him "lethargic" and "confused" and came home scared to eat the fruit.
"It was a week of pain and they did all these tests on me, put little probes on the end of my tongue and told me I shouldn’t eat apples," the host of BBC's The Wheel said of his 2017 retreat with fellow comic Paul Tonkinson, 54. "Apparently apples will make me very lethargic and confused in my brain. It’s the only thing I’ve taken from it, really."
The clinic is known to be gruelling and guests start their stay with a salt cleanse. "You drink the Epsom salts first thing and then within 20 minutes, the whole of the clinic – which is full of wealthy fat people – are all rushing to the lavatory," said Michael, 48.
Michael has been married to Kitty for 20 years (Getty Images)
The star fronts primetime gameshow The Wheel (BBC/Hungry McBear/Gary Moyes)Michael lasted six days at the retreat and lost a stone in the process but admitted once he had left: "I was so emotional, depressed and confused and Paul was skeletal." The dad-of-two says he has since put the weight back on to the approval of his wife Kitty, adding: "She wants teddy bear Michael not racing snake Michael".
More recently, Michael was forced to cancel a gig in Southampton when he was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery. He cancelled his Magnificent show in Plymouth at the end of February before a member of his team confirmed he wouldn't be able to perform in Southampton either.
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"We regret to inform customers that Michael McIntyre will be unable to perform on Monday 4 March at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton," said his spokesman on social media. "Unfortunately, Michael has had an operation to remove kidney stones. The show will be rescheduled to a later date which will be announced shortly."
Watch Michael host The Wheel tonight at 7.40pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer