The former Loose Women star, 55, recently suffered acute kidney injury, sepsis and severe pneumonia, losing ‘80% capacity’ in one lung

Andrea Mclean teared up in an Instagram post yesterday(Image: Neil Mockford/Getty Images)

Andrea Mclean has opened up about restarting a hobby following her recent health struggle. While the former Loose Women star said it might not seem like a ‘big deal’, she teared up while describing her pride in this accomplishment.

“So, this might not even seem like such a big deal, but for anyone who has kind of lost their way fitness-wise, wellness-wise and all that kind of thing, you’ll know what I’m talking about,” she said in a heartfelt post to Instagram yesterday. “I went to the gym today, and it was the first time going to the gym in forever.

“So much so, I had actually cancelled my gym membership because there wasn’t any point in it, but Nick gave me a guest pass, you know, you can get so many a month. And today was a really big day and, so, I’ve started doing some exercise through my little app.”

Andrea was suffering flu-like symptoms before she collapsed in the bathroom last December. When rushed to the hospital, medics explained that she not only had acute kidney injury and sepsis but severe pneumonia too, losing ‘80% capacity’ in one lung.

Recounting the ordeal on Substack, Andrea said she stayed there for several days and was completely overwhelmed by the bright lights, yelling, screams, and almost constant ‘smell of poo’. Yet, even once she returned home, things didn’t go back to normal.

In March, she collapsed on the bathroom floor for a second time after getting out of bed ‘too fast’. Andrea didn’t specify whether her exercise habits stopped before or after these incidents, but said she hadn’t felt confident for a long time.

On Instagram, the 55-year-old continued: “I hadn’t been confident enough to go back to the gym, so I’ve just been doing it on my own, and that actually makes me feel really sad to say it out loud, that I wasn’t confident enough to go into a gym and do my little app workout.

“[It’s] because I was so, so far from the fit person that I was, and I don’t know, again, it’s such a weird thing to explain if you’ve not kind of lost all your fitness and all that kind of thing and then you’re starting again.”

Andrea attributed her newfound confidence to a wellness week she participated in this month. She trained alongside Olympic athletes and world-class dancers at a venue in Turkey.

Andrea said she’s restarted her fitness journey after grappling with confidence struggles(Image: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“We were invited to take part in this wellness week, and I’d ummed and ahed about going because I knew I’d be at the back, and I was at the back,” she said.

“And it actually didn’t matter. That’s what gave me the confidence to kind of head out the door, and I was actually quite panicky. It sounds so silly, but I was actually quite panicky about going. But I did it, and today is day one.

“I don’t even know why I am getting upset. But anyway, I just wanted to share it with you. Do it. Go anyway, even if you are feeling a bit rubbish, go anyway. Ridiculously, I just feel really good, so I don’t know why I am getting upset.

“I’m feeling really proud of myself that I went, but I’m having day one again because I’ve had so many stops and starts. It’s good, it’s a good thing, don’t know why I am crying. Happy crying? Maybe. Don’t know. Anyway, have a great day.”

Andrea’s post quickly racked up numerous comments from fans, with many expressing their support. One person wrote: “You should be so proud of yourself, well done. The easier option would have been to not go. You know all about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and you’ve done just that today. But you’ve also started with a beginners mindset again.”

Meanwhile, another added: “Well done Andrea and thank you for your post I needed to hear that today as I am far from my fitness level too… and was feeling overwhelmed and telling myself I can’t do it and where to start but I now realise just start and that I can do it.”