Loose Women star Janet Street-Porter has opened up about the debilitating physical and mental suffering she endured before having a hip replacement.
The ITV presenter, 77, said she was reluctant to have the surgery as she felt she had ‘joined the oldies’ and so persevered with excruciating pain in her hip
She said she could ‘barely walk’, was a ‘misery’ and was unable to sleep because of the severe discomfort before she hit ‘rock bottom’ in which she described as her ‘horror’ year.
Janet spoke about her suffering on today’s Loose Women, a special ‘history-making’ 25-hour talkathon in support of ITV’s mental wellness campaign Britain Get Talking.
The journalist said: ‘I was so reluctant to have a hip operation. It got to the point where I could barely walk; I’d come in here and be a complete misery and I was not sleeping – I was down to two or three hours a night.
‘Somehow having a knee replacement is more acceptable than a hip replacement, in my head anyway, so hip replacement you think “I’ve joined the oldies. That’s it. I’m in the last tiny bit of my life.” Which is ridiculous.’
Encouraging the audience to talk to someone if they are struggling, she added: ‘I was absolutely at rock bottom. It was the year of horror – like the Queen called it her annus horribilis. 2024 was that year for me.’
In October, Janet announced she would be taking a break from Loose Women for several weeks to recover from the hip surgery.
On her last show before her operation, she said: ‘I’m just going to go into hospital on Friday, have the operation on Friday afternoon, stay in hospital for a few days and then really, really work at rehab and physio so that I can come back as soon as possible.’
Praising her, fellow presenter Coleen Nolan added: ‘You always put on this tough persona and nothing bothers you.
‘And then at one point today you said “I’m really scared” and I could have cried my eyes out.’
Janet revealed she was supposed to have the operation in March but had postponed it until October which had impacted her pain levels forcing her to ‘lie down for two days’ as she ‘really messed up the other side of my back’.
After the surgery, she shared an update on her healing process on Instagram, writing: ‘Three hours after hip replacement-masses of strong pain relief resulted in huge smile of relief!
‘Then the drugs wore off…but I’m walking with a trolley HOORAY XX.’
Her friends and followers rushed to share their support, with co-star Katie Piper writing: ‘So happy to see you smiling and walking already.’
‘Get well soon, Janet x,’ Kaye Adams added.
Kelle Bryan wrote: ‘Brilliant to see you out the side Janet. Continue to get stronger and recover. See you soon.’
Loose Women airs weekdays from 12.30pm on ITV and ITVX.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE: TV legend who has appeared in all the soaps reveals why she said yes to Emmerdale
MORE: 00s TV legend stages long-awaited return to popular BBC show after 14 years
MORE: Ruth Langsford delivers powerful message about the ‘truth’ after Eamonn Holmes split
