Comedian Jimeoin opens up about his recent stint in hospital after health scare - and reveals how it will affect his Australian tour

Daily Mail​

23-04-2025

Jimeoin still plans to continue his current gruelling stand up tour in Australia after suffering a health scare.
The 59-year-old comedian shared that he recently spent two weeks in hospital after experiencing severe back pain.
'I woke up one morning and I had this trapped nerve in my back,' he said during an appearance on Wednesday's episode of The Project.
The Irish-born funnyman, who calls Australia home, said that he is currently using 'heavy painkillers' to cope with his bad back and now faces an operation.
But he said the medication comes with problems, especially when it comes to performing.
'I am doing stand up,' he said, and added, but the painkillers make you constipated.
'And I'm taking laxatives so I'm scared to laugh,' he joked.
During the segment Jimeoin shared a photo that showed his back covered in large red welts.
He explained he had tried 'cupping' - a traditional treatment for nerve pain - which uses cups to create suction around the problem area on the body.
'I was trying everything [to get relief],' he said.
The much loved entertainer also shared a screenshot of himself from his hospital bed which he posted to his social media ahead of his recent appearance at Melbourne's Comedy Festival.
Meanwhile, Jimeoin is set to play 31 shows on his current national tour which will take him to the capital cities and major regional centres before it winds up in September.
Reflecting on his successful stand-up career during a TV appearance on Today in 2021 he said: 'I've been doing it for 30 years and am still getting away with it.'
Jimeoin, whose real name is James Eoin Stephen Paul McKeown, previously told Beyond the Joke of his comedic style: 'I just talk about the things that tickle me.
'Sometimes I come up with [jokes] that seem so obvious I can't believe it has never been done before.'
Back in 2014 it was a cheap quip that sparked a barrage of criticism from charities and viewers and that even prompted broadcaster ITV to apologise.
Jimeoin admits he no longer sees the funny side of the joke he made mocking people battling the degenerative brain disease Alzheimer's telling Daily Mail Australia: 'It was a joke and some people do find it offensive...I would say sorry to those people, absolutely.'
Talking about the sketch on variety show Sunday Night at the Palladium, he added: 'We all have people who have got Alzheimer's, I've got people who have Alzheimer's, so that was my way of dealing with it.'
The father of four, who lives in Melbourne with wife Catherine Arena, said in future he 'would try not to be that flippant about it.'
Riisng to prominence in Australia with his own show in the 1990s, the comedian sparked fury when he opened his sketch on the UK family show by making light of the illness.
He quipped: 'I think I am losing my memory. Do you ever think you have Alzheimer's?
'Do you do that thing when you walk into a room and go "what did I come into this room for?" Open up a fridge, and go into soft focus. And close the fridge and go "what did I open the fridge for?"'
He went on: 'Driving my car and thinking where am I going. I was looking for something in the fridge.'
The then paused before adding: 'Have I done the Alzheimer's joke?'
While some people in the audience found the punchline amusing, many took offence and jammed the switchboard of ITV, which aired the show, with complaints.