Miranda Hart opens up on chronic illness on Celebrity Traitors
The comedian discusses her battle with ME and Lyme disease, revealing the challenges of returning to TV on Celebrity Traitors.
Miranda Hart, the 53‑year‑old comedian, broke down in the diary room of tonight’s episode of Celebrity Traitors as she reflected on her long‑term battle with chronic illness.
During the mission she admitted, “Three or four years ago, due to illness, I thought I might never have a gentle walk again.” ‘I find myself up a Scottish Highland wheelbarrowing along a very large head.
It’s really exciting.’”
Hart, who was first diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) – commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome – three decades ago, spent much of the past five years largely out of the public eye.
She explained that the condition left her “bedbound and without joy”, limiting her television work to occasional chat‑show appearances and a Comic Relief special.
“I haven’t done much TV work for a long time, having only recently come out of long‑term ill health issues, and when I was offered this, my whole body sort of relaxed, I smiled, and I just wanted to jump about like a schoolgirl with joy,” she said ahead of the broadcast.
Hart added, “I’m still living with elements of ME, and that brings fatigue and pain to manage, but I have come to a point where I feel well enough to step out, and that’s also partly why I’m doing this.”
She acknowledged the physical strain of the show, noting, “The joy of mucking about on television again will hopefully outweigh some of the challenges.” And I think it will be challenging on my body, so it’ll be interesting, and it’ll take some courage as this is a big next step.”
Speaking about the hidden nature of chronic illness, Hart observed, “When you live with a chronic illness, it’s invisible, so people don’t know that you’re sitting there in pain.” But then it reminds you that everybody’s got their thing.”
She expressed optimism about the camaraderie on the programme, saying, “So, I’m also really looking forward to making friends and looking after each other and hopefully they can carry me up a hill or whatever we’re going to have to do!”
Hart first fell ill at the age of 15, with symptoms that later evolved into chronic fatigue. The condition worsened in her mid‑40s, culminating in a collapse that left her confined to bed while doctors struggled to pinpoint the cause.
After years of uncertainty, she received a diagnosis of Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks, which compounded her health challenges.
Reflecting on the Lyme diagnosis, she said, “In my case, my level of illness, it was never acute; I wasn’t going to collapse and die of it, luckily.”
She recounted the frustration of seeking answers, noting, “But I kept saying to doctors, I know I’m leading a half‑life, I’m leading a very debilitated life but with no understanding of why.”
Hart added, “And it was almost like I kept saying, eventually, as the years went on, I said, if this was a named condition and this is how you manage it, then I could handle it, I could dig in.”
She concluded that the greatest obstacle for fatigue‑based illnesses is the lack of clear guidance, stating, “I think the hardest thing about these sort of fatigue‑based conditions, whatever they come from, is that lack of understanding, lack of never knowing when there’s an end date, no management plan.”
Despite the ongoing symptoms, Hart’s appearance on Celebrity Traitors marks a significant step back into mainstream television, offering a rare glimpse into the lived experience of ME and Lyme disease.