The panellist will be going on a short break from the show to undergo surgery
Janet Street-Porter shared that she does feel anxious over her health(Image: ITV)
Loose Women’s Janet Street-Porter opened up about her health anxiety which can cause her to “suffer”.
The 78-year-old broadcaster became a regular panellist in 2011, but after 13 years she had to depart from the show briefly to undergo and recover from a hip replacement.
At the time, she shared: “I’m having my hip replacement operation at last. And I can’t think about anything else. As I’m sitting here, I’m shaking and my hands are freezing cold.”
Now, she’s set to undergo her second surgery where she’ll be taking a small break from the ITV daytime show as she recovers.
On Tuesday’s (October 14) installment, Janet sat with Christine Lampard, Coleen Nolan and Katie Piper as the topic of health anxiety came up.
Christine asked Janet about her sometimes “crippling” health anxiety, to which Janet mentioned that she suffers from arthritis and referenced undergoing her next surgery.
She said: “If anything goes wrong with my body, I absolutely catastrophise. A week ago, I was doing my show in Bury St Edmunds and I looked down, and my neck jammed.
“Ever since that day, my neck’s been like that” as she mimicked stiffness and being unable to twist her head from side to side.
The panel opened up about their own fears(Image: ITV)
Janet continued: “So, I haven’t been able to get rid of it. I’ve had physiotherapy but I’ve slung everything at it. This is how I deal with any ailment, because I want the whole time to be operating at peak condition.
“Peak capacity, peak efficiency, if any little niggle comes along, I can’t handle it. So, I’ve got all the painkillers going. I know it’s bad, don’t copy anyone watching, please. I’m putting out a health warning straight away.
“I’ve taken a cocktail of painkillers, I’ve got to admit and I haven’t managed to move it.”
Touching on the anxiety it brings, she added: “I do suffer. I’m not anxious in terms of my own life, because my full intention is to live to be 100 and live a very fulfilled life.
“So, anything that comes along that might impede that, even in the slightest, it drives me absolutely crazy. I can’t cope with it, so I react in a disproportionate way, which is what’s happening with my neck.”
Loose Women airs on weekdays from 12:30pm on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
