Gloria Hunniford, 85, has revealed the frightening health battle that forced her to step away from Loose Women, after  doctors discovered she was suffering from what they described as a âprofoundâ condition.
The broadcaster made her return to the ITV panel on Wednesday, finally explaining why viewers hadnât seen her on the show for several weeks â and admitting the situation was far more serious than she first realised.
âMy Health Was Evolvingâ
Speaking candidly on the programme, Gloria Hunniford revealed that her health had been âevolvingâ for around four weeks before she went into hospital for what she believed would be a routine procedure.
âI havenât been on the programme because for about four weeks my health was evolving,â she explained. âI went into hospital just to have a routine op â which I knew about and instigated.â
But what doctors discovered came as a shock.
âLike Draculaâ â Three Pints of Blood
Gloria told viewers that hospital staff quickly realised the situation was far more serious than expected.
âIt turned out â in the hospitalâs words â that I was âprofoundly anaemicâ,â she said. âI had to have, like Dracula, three pints of blood. I had to have a pint of the strong stuff.â
 Doctors also warned her that her blood pressure had dropped dangerously low.
âThey said my blood pressure was very low â in the 70s rather than over 100 â so you could keel over at any time,â she added.
A Frightening Discovery
The star revealed she has spent the past month trying to rebuild her strength, while doctors searched for the cause of the problem.
âOne of the doctors said, âSomewhere youâre losing blood,ââ Gloria recalled. âThen you begin to panic.â
Tests later revealed the cause.
âThey put a camera down my throat just over a week ago and discovered I have an ulcer,â she said, adding that she was relieved to be told the condition is âfixable.â
Her fellow Loose Women panellists were visibly stunned as she shared the details of her hospital ordeal.
A Tough Few Years for Gloria
Gloriaâs health scare comes after an emotionally difficult period in her personal life, following the death of her husband Stephen Way in 2024, aged 85, after what she previously described as a heroic battle with illness.
Speaking on Loose Women last year, Gloria tearfully reflected on caring for Stephen through his health struggles.
âYou want to do everything that you can for the person you love,â she said. âBut it is exhausting because youâre worried all the time.â
She also admitted that even when loss is expected, it still comes as a devastating shock.
âEven though you might be expecting some time to pass, when it does come to it, itâs such a shock and such pain again.â
Now back on screen, Gloria reassured viewers that she is recovering â but her honest confession has left fans shaken, grateful, and full of admiration for her strength.



