Josie Gibson reveals the unusual way she discovered she was suffering from a medieval health condition while filming luxury travel show
And Josie Gibson has now revealed how she found out she was suffering from the medieval condition when she went for a health MOT ahead of her next TV challenge The 1970s Diet.
She told OK! magazine: 'I kept saying to the nurse, "my toes keep hurting". I thought gout was only for old men but I have been living quite a lavish life.
'Before I filmed this show, I caught a lot of flights, I drank a lot of champagne, I ate a lot of rich food and I had little sleep. That's how I ended up getting gout.'
The illness is a type of arthritis that causes severe pain and swelling in the big toes, feet, wrists and ankles, affects an estimated 1.5 million people in the UK. Cases are on the rise, with the number surging by about four per cent each year.
Josie put the diagnosis down to her time shooting Around The World In First Class, a Channel 5 travelogue which sees her take 12 first class flights and private jet trips and stay in rooms worth more than £15,000 ($20,000) per night in the likes of the Middle East and the Caribbean.
Her luxurious travel show Around The World In First Class was almost derailed when she discovered she had the medieval condition through complaining about painful toes
Blood tests gave the shock diagnosis after spending weeks living in luxury, sipping champagne and tucking into Michelin-starred meals.
Gout is often associated with wealthy historical figures, including Henry VIII and Benjamin Franklin, who were known to enjoy alcohol and red meats, both of which are high in purines which cause the illness.
More recently, actor Jared Leto was diagnosed with gout after rapidly gaining more than four stone (26kg) for the role of Mark David Chapman in the film Chapter 27 in 2007.
Comedians James Corden, 46, and Jack Whitehall, 36, are also among celebrities who have suffered with it in recent years.
Josie confirmed she is now gout free after returning to a less lavish diet.
'As soon as I stopped catching all the flights and started drinking a bit more water and less champagne, it leveled itself out,' she said.
And her health took a turn in another direction after she took part in The 1970s diet and ate boiled potatoes, liver and spam.
Josie explained that she did not expect the diet to send her weight plummeting and was shocked to hear that just 10 per cent of people in the 70s were obese, compared with triple the amount today.
Despite being restricted to a smaller 70s-style plate, Josie did not hold out much hope for the liver and extensive carbs which filled it.
The show explained that people in that decade were often healthier as, on average, they did more housework and tasks without gadgets, leading to a more active lifestyle.
Ahead of the experiment, Josie underwent a health check-up which revealed she weighed 16 stone (102kg) and had a 48 per cent body fat figure.
The TV personality was pleased with her fitness levels, which were judged to be at a 'superior' rating, helped out by the fact Josie works out regularly.
She explained that she is able to 'run rings' around friends of hers, even if they are thinner than her.
Josie wheeled her shopping bag to the butchers and bakers for the show, took part in a disco-style exercise class, and even picked out a set of vintage clothes in order to look the part.
Despite heaping praise on the era's style, the former I'm A Celebrity contestant was dismayed when she realised her modern day clothes sizes did not fit her.
It was explained to Josie that brands these days make their clothes bigger for a given size in a bid to make consumers feel better.
The star has fluctuated between size eight and 22 over the years, but admitted she feels her best when she can fit into size 12-14 clothes.
Josie said that she would not consider taking weight-loss jabs, despite lots of her friends using them.
The star revealed that the experiment taught her a great deal, particularly that her son Reggie, seven, was slightly lazy and often preferred to go to the shops by car.
She also heaped praise on the tight-knit nature of 1970s families, and lifted the lid on her next show which is set to be about biohacking.
Josie has been open about her weight in the past and previously admitted she's 'never happy with her body' and would like to 'lose a bit of timber'.
The This Morning favourite told MailOnline in December that she wanted to get 'back in the gym so she can enjoy herself at Christmas' and said her recent weight loss had been down to being busy at work.
Josie has said she's finally feeling happier. when it comes to her looks
She said: 'I have literally been so busy. I've been here, there and everywhere, I'm working.
Josie previously explained that she used to cry on a regular basis after being trolled over her weight following her Big Brother win in 2010
'But I've got to fit the gym time in.
'I'm working up to the 21st, but all next week I'm putting a dedicated time to get that bloody gym and get myself in just so I can lose a little bit of weight to enjoy myself for Christmas.
'I've been, you know, over the years, you put so much stress on yourself - like I'm never happy, never happy.
'But now I'm just really busy, but I would like to lose a bit of timber, but I'm happy with myself. And that that's the main thing,
'It's like a home renovation, your body, isn't it? So I always need a little bit of progress. I always need to paint a room.'
Josie previously revealed that she used to cry on a regular basis after being trolled over her weight following her Big Brother win in 2010.
In 2014, the star shared that she lost six stone (38kg) over the course of a year, going from a size 20 to a size eight.
And in 2023, ahead of her appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, the presenter revealed she'd slimmed down from a size 18 to a 14 after hiring a personal trainer.
WHAT IS GOUT?
Gout is a form of arthritis that can be extremely painful.
Agonising attacks come on very quickly, often during the night.
It affects around two per cent of people in the UK and 8.3 million in the US.
Gout was once thought to be caused by overeating and drinking excessively, however, that is not the whole story.
The condition occurs due to a build up of uric acid, which can be because a person's kidneys cannot get rid of the substance quickly enough.
Over time, uric-acid crystals can form in and around the joints, which can trigger severe inflammation that usually settles within a week.
In any day, about three-quarters of the urate in our bodies comes from the breakdown of purines produced within our body, while only about a quarter comes from the breakdown of purines in food and drink we consume.
Foods and drinks high in purines include:
Alcohol
Red meat and offal
Oily fish, such as mackerel and salmon
Foods rich in yeast extract, like Marmite and Bovril
As well as pain, symptoms can include joints being:
Red
Hot
Swollen
Shiny
Without treatment, gout attacks can become more frequent, with more joints being affected.
The two most common painkillers used to treat gout are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, and colchicine.
You don't need to face arthritis alone. Our advisors aim to bring all of the information and advice about arthritis into one place to provide tailored support for you.
Call 0800 5200 520 for free today (Monday–Friday, 9am–8pm)
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