Richard Bacon was finally allowed to return home on Thursday, two weeks after he was admitted to hospital with a serious double lung infection. The former Blue Peter presenter, who spent nine days in an induced coma, looked frail but happy as he left Lewisham hospital with his wife Rebecca by his side.
The dad-of-two used a walking frame for support as he walked to a waiting car, with a plaster just visible on his neck from where he had been receiving treatment. No doubt he will be happy to be back home with his family after a dramatic two weeks.
© Photo: WENNRichard Bacon left hospital on Thursday with his wife Rebecca
Earlier in the day, Richard was reunited with his children Arthur and Ivy, who he hadn’t seen since being taken ill. "Final day visitors. Kept them away when on Life Support. Not my best look," he wrote alongside the picture. The British TV personality went on to reveal that he was ready to leave his hospital bed as he thanked the NHS. "Cleared for take-off. Gone within the hour (I'll be leaving two weeks almost to the minute after I arrived)," he shared. "I don't know whether I see this as the bed I nearly died in or the bed that saved my life. Either way. I won't miss it. But I will miss the 50 staff of Lewisham Hospital who definitely saved my life. Every. Single. One. Of. Them. #VivaTheNHS."
MORE: See the sweet photo of Richard Bacon and his children after coming out of coma
The day before, Richard paid a heartfelt tribute to his wife, Rebecca, in an emotional message after learning he fell into a coma for "nine or ten nights". He said "Today should be the last full day in hospital (unless I decide to walk home through Lewisham). Every facet of my life would be worse without Rebecca in it. How will I ever thank her?" The TV star added: "I was in a coma for nine or ten nights total (I just learned). That's a lot of staring at your husband and his pipes. And a lot of worry."
© Photo: InstagramEarlier in the day Richard was reunited with his children
Richard and Rebecca have been married since 2008, and are proud parents to two children. The father-of-two, who resides in Los Angeles, was taken ill on a flight from the US earlier this month with suspected pneumonia. After his condition worsened, hospital staff put him into a coma before he woke up on Friday.
Fellow Blue Peter alumnus, Simon Thomas, recently took to Twitter to send Richard his well-wishes, saying: "Wishing @richardpbacon every good wish and prayers that he pulls through this. God Bless mate. You’re a good man."
STORY: Richard Bacon pays heartfelt tribute to wife after falling ill
