Brief
Miranda Hart talks Lyme disease and recovery on Celebrity Traitors
The comedian says a recent TV task helped her gauge her fitness after years of illness.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Miranda Hart opened up about a Lyme disease diagnosis and lingering symptoms of ME/CFS during Thursday's episode of BBC One's Celebrity Traitors, according to the Independent.
What happened
During a rainy hillside challenge that required contestants to assemble large stone‑head statues, Hart said she was "wheelbarrowing" a massive head up a Scottish Highland hill. She recalled that three or four years ago she feared she would never be able to take a gentle walk in a park again because of illness, but now finds herself on a demanding set.
What the report adds
The Independent notes that Hart first disclosed a diagnosis of agoraphobia and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome) in 2024, describing her career at the height of her sitcom Miranda as "wading through treacle". After her show ended in 2015, she experienced a "total collapse" that left her housebound for years. Subsequent blood tests led doctors to identify Lyme disease, which the outlet suggests may have been contracted while she lived briefly in Virginia as a teenager.
What was said
Hart told the programme, "Three or four years ago, due to illness, I thought that I may not ever have a gentle walk around a park again. And now I find myself up a Scottish Highland, wheelbarrowing along a very large head. It’s really exciting." She added, "I have come to a point where I feel well enough to step out, and that’s also partly why I’m doing this… the joy of mucking about on television again will hopefully outweigh some of the challenges." The article also quotes her earlier remarks at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, where she said, "I lost my joy" and described being "housebound and bedbound for years".
How it came about
Hart’s discussion on the show follows a Felo News piece published on 17 October that highlighted her Lyme disease revelation on the same episode. Earlier coverage by Felo traced her previous diagnoses and the impact on her career, providing context for her current return to television.
Key facts
- Miranda Hart disclosed a Lyme disease diagnosis on Celebrity Traitors (independent.co.uk)
- She previously revealed diagnoses of agoraphobia and ME/CFS in 2024 (independent.co.uk)
- Hart described a challenging hillside task involving a large stone head (independent.co.uk)
- She said she feared she would never take a gentle walk again three to four years ago (independent.co.uk)
- Hart suggested the Lyme infection may have been contracted while living in Virginia as a teenager (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Miranda Hart reflects on health struggles that made her drop out of public life”
