Craig Charles has opened up about the terrifying heart attack that nearly cost him his life—an experience chillingly similar to the one that claimed his brother’s life years earlier.
The 61-year-old actor, currently on I’m A Celebrity… South Africa for the second time, shared the shocking details of his health scare with fellow campmates, revealing that he is on 8 medications a day and has four stents in his heart to keep him alive.
“The same thing that killed my brother,” Craig admits, recalling how his brother, Dean, passed away after suffering a heart attack due to a genetic condition that runs in their family. “It’s genetic,” Craig says. “They told me to get checked out, and I thought I was fine… until I wasn’t.”
Craig recalled the chilling moment when he felt something wasn’t right: “I was home alone when I felt my jaws tingling. I called my wife, Jackie, and told her, ‘I don’t feel great.’ But I didn’t call an ambulance. I thought I could wait.”
It wasn’t until Jackie arrived home and took one look at him that things took a turn for the worse. “The woman on the phone asked, ‘What colour is he?’ Jackie said, ‘He’s brown.’” Craig, at that point, was in the midst of a heart attack, all while laughing at the absurdity of it.
Craig went on to explain how doctors had to rush to save his life. “They put a wire in, attached it to a balloon, blew it up, then stuck a stent in. It widened my artery. Apparently, I was only getting 35% of the blood I needed, but after the stents, it was 100%. They saved me,” Craig said, his voice filled with emotion.
A Devastating Loss
This heart attack was not the only tragedy that haunted Craig. When he first entered the jungle in 2014, he was unaware that his brother had passed away just days before. Craig spoke of the agony he felt after missing Dean’s calls, thinking he could reconnect once he was out of the jungle. “I thought, ‘I’ll get in touch with him when I come out.’” But when he did, it was too late.
Craig learned that Dean had tragically passed away from a blood clot at the age of 52, and the grief left Craig shattered. “I broke down. He was only 52. We were very close. We shared a bedroom as kids.”
A True Survivor
Despite the emotional and physical trauma, Craig’s return to I’m A Celebrity is a testament to his resilience. Scarlett Moffatt praised Craig for his courage, calling him “really brave” for returning to the show where he received such devastating news.
Craig’s health journey is a sobering reminder of how fragile life can be—and how important it is to cherish every moment. As he continues to battle his condition, Craig remains a true survivor, carrying on despite the heartbreaking loss and the terrifying brush with death.
