Andrew Marr thanks well wishers

Andrew Marr thanks well wishers


Andrew Marr has spoken from his hospital bed for the first time to thank his well wishers and assure them he is "on the mend" as he continues to recover from a stroke.








Andrew Marr has spoken out for the first time since he was hospitalised





By Hayley Dixon

10:54PM GMT 20 Jan 2013

9 Comments




The 53-year-old presenter is said to be making good progress after he was taken ill at his London home almost two weeks ago.


Speaking on the phone to the Andrew Marr show production team broadcaster said the goodwill messages had been "truly wonderful" and sent out a "huge thank you" to well-wishers.


He added that he was looking forward to returning to work in due course, the BBC has reported.


His Sunday morning political programme on BBC One and Radio 4's Start The Week are being broadcast with guest presenters in his absence.


Yesterday morning Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine took the reins, interviewing Foreign Secretary Williams Hague and UKIP leader Nigel Farage.



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According to Radio 4 sources he is “hungry for news from outside” as he remains in hospital and had asked for Radio 4 recordings to be brought in to entertain him.

James Lansdale, the BBC’s deputy political editor, hosted last Sunday’s show and as Marr is not expected to be back at work for several weeks Sophie Raworth has also been lined up to step into the breach next Sunday.

The corporation's former political editor, who is married to journalist Jackie Ashley and has three children, was taken ill on January

He began his career as a newspaper reporter, becoming the editor of The Independent before turning to television.

He has also presented a number of history programmes along with his politics show and has had five books published.

The BBC have said that they are looking forward to the presenter coming back as soon as he is well enough.

Former actress and model Bianca Jagger tweeted: “Delighted to hear that #AndrewMarr is on the mend. He thanked well-wishers for messages wishing him a #SpeedyRecovery."

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30 great one-liners

I like Andrew Marrs Sunday Morning Show, hope he recovers well

Share

I like Andrew too. He is never backwards in coming forward with the awkward questions ...good show ..hope he is soon well and back on screen.

Krisy22 wrote:

I like Andrew too. He is never backwards in coming forward with the awkward questions ...good show ..hope he is soon well and back on screen.

Morning Krisy22.......he doesn't mince his words does heLet's hope this stroke has done no lasting damage, but it will be a warning sign.

Panda wrote:

Krisy22 wrote:

I like Andrew too. He is never backwards in coming forward with the awkward questions ...good show ..hope he is soon well and back on screen.

Morning Krisy22.......he doesn't mince his words does heLet's hope this stroke has done no lasting damage, but it will be a warning sign.

Hi Panda xx

Yes, he is one of the very few that tries to stick out for an answer to his questions.

Andrew Marr tells viewers how stroke hit after rowing machine session


BBC presenter Andrew Marr has made his first television appearance since
suffering a stroke three and a half months ago and told how it struck after he
went on a rowing machine.








Andrew Marr making his first
television appearance after his stroke Photo: screen
grab





By News agencies

9:32AM BST 14 Apr 2013




Mr Marr told viewers of his Sunday morning current affairs show that he was
"frankly lucky to be alive" after what he had been through.


He said that walking was still difficult and his left arm "isn't much good
yet" but his voice and memory were unimpaired.


He blamed a combination of overwork and excessive exercise for what happened
to him.


"I had a major stroke, I'm frankly lucky to be alive. I had been heavily
overworking – mostly my own fault – in the year before that," he said.



"I'd had two minor strokes, it turned out, in that year – which I hadn't
noticed – and then I did the terrible thing of believing what I read in the
newspapers, because the newspapers were saying what we must all do is take very
intensive exercise, in short bursts, and that's the way to health.


"Well I went onto a rowing machine and gave it everything I had, and had a
strange feeling afterwards – a blinding headache, and flashes of light – served
out the family meal, went to bed, woke up the next morning lying on the floor
unable to move.

"And what I'd done, I'd torn the carotid artery, which takes blood into the
brain, and had a stroke overnight – which basically wipes out a bit of your
brain.

"In my case, luckily not my voice or memory or anything like that, but the
whole left hand side of my body, which is why I'm still not able to walk
fluently – I do a kind of elegant hobble is the best I can manage; my left arm
isn't much good yet. I've got a lot of physio still to do."

Mr Marr pre-recorded interviews with the Conservative former Cabinet minister
Lord Parkinson and the Labour peer Baroness Kennedy yesterday at Broadcasting
House.

The live section of the programme continues to be hosted by guest presenters,
with news reader Sophie Raworth standing in today.

Mr Marr assured her however that he remained determined to return to
full-time duties.

"The only way through is intensive physio and doing a lot of it. And I'm now
in the period where if I really concentrate on the physio, I will get better,
and if I don't, I won't. Which is why I'm not back trying to do the job
full-time, I have to say," he said.

"I'm going to be taking your chair I'm absolutely sure, when I'm ready. I'm
certainly coming back. I've got a lot more to say about it all, but I'm going to
wait until I've gone through the physio to do so."
============
That's good news eh.!

So pleased to see Andrew this morning ...he was looking well too. Hope to see him back soon.