MIRANDA HART OPENS UP ON ME ILLNESS BEFORE CELEBRITY TRAITORS

Miranda Hart has told the BBC about living with ME as she prepares to join the second series of Celebrity Traitors. She said the condition brings fatigue and pain that she must manage, but that she now feels well enough to take part. Hart described joining the show as a "big next step" that will be physically challenging for her. She said the enjoyment of returning to television work should outweigh the difficulties involved. She is set to compete against 20 other celebrities when the series airs next month.

In her 2024 memoir, Hart wrote about a three-decade health battle that began with a diagnosis of Lyme disease and later developed into ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. She described symptoms including extreme tiredness, muscle and joint pain, and problems with memory and concentration. One account of the book said the illness had left her bedbound and without joy for periods. Hart told the BBC that living with a chronic illness is "invisible", meaning others often do not know she is in pain. She said the experience has also shown her that everyone has their own difficulties to manage.

Hart said her general approach to work and life is to "follow the joy", and that she smiled and wanted to "jump about like a schoolgirl" when offered a place in the line-up. She said she has not done much television work in recent years while recovering from long-term ill health. The BBC series will also feature Bella Ramsey, Michael Sheen, Richard E Grant, Ross Kemp, James Acaster, Joe Lycett, Joanne McNally, Maya Jama and James Blunt. Hart said she is looking forward to making friends on the show, joking they might need to carry her up a hill. The new series is confirmed to premiere on the BBC next month.