Loose Women star rushed to hospital and 'in a lot of pain' following collapse
Andrea McLean, 55, has been notably silent on social media in 2025, but she explained her absence was due to a collapse in December that saw her spending weeks in hospital.
"My life is still not ‘back to normal’," she explained in a Substack column which detailed her health woes.
Starting from the beginning, the former Loose Women star said she thought she came down with the winter flu around the festive period – but things quickly deteriorated into something more serious.
"After seven days of sweating and shivering, with a raging temperature and chills, and pain in my chest and back, my wee turned brown. I collapsed in the bathroom, and like the adverts you see on telly with the elderly, I lay there for an hour before my husband found me," she said.
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"My blood pressure was so low I couldn’t stand, and I was in a lot of pain," she added, explaining that getting her to the ambulance proved "challenging" thanks to their home layout.
"Our bedroom is in the loft, up a steep, narrow flight of stairs, which meant the stretcher couldn’t turn, so getting me out was challenging," wrote Andrea.
Feared attacks
While in hospital, she was diagnosed with severe pneumonia which saw her lose 80% capacity in one of her lungs, Acute Kidney Injury and sepsis which required antibiotics and fluids administered via an IV drip.
Detailing her scary time in the Respiratory Ward, where she was transferred following the Emergency Assessment Ward, Andrea revealed she feared her fellow patients would attack her.
One of the six elderly women in her ward, who she said were "in varying stages of dementia", was "furious" about being disturbed at night by Andrea's transfer.
"I was terrified. It was like something out of a warped horror movie; I was trapped in a bed, in pain, unable to move, and a very scary old lady was trying to attack me," she recalled.
The mother-of-two said it became a nightly occurrence for one patient to shout and try tearing down the curtain between their beds, which hugely impacted her sleep.
Nick's support
Despite detailing her sleepless nights and painful recovery, Andrea was still quick to comment on how her health impacted her husband Nick Feeney and her kids Finlay and Amy.
Nick – whom she married in 2017 – visited twice a day, brought in home comforts such as headphones, and helped transport Andrea to and from the hospital for further treatment when she was allowed to sleep at home.
Praising his support and patience, she wrote: "Nick’s life stopped for the first few weeks of the new year too… He drove me home, made everyone dinner, listened to them all talk about their day, then put me to bed. And then did it all again the next day. And the next."
Nick wasn't the only one offering support – Andrea has also been showered with messages from fans after she posted a photo of a dog with a thermometer on Instagram to break the news.
Many rushed to the comments to share their thoughts, with one writing: "My goodness Andrea what a horrific ordeal… so pleased to hear your on the mend and that life in 2025 is just starting x." Another added: "Oh heavens, I just read what you have been/still going through. It’s horrendous. I genuinely feel for you. I really wish you better very very soon."
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