Andrew Denton, 59, and his wife Jennifer Byrne, 64, reveal the time the interviewer nearly died

‘He was deathly still’: Andrew Denton and his wife Jennifer Byrne discuss the time the Interview host nearly died after being rushed to surgery for a quadruple bypass

Andrew Denton has enjoyed a long and fruitful career as a TV personality and interviewer.

However, there was a time not that long ago when the funnyman’s life was almost cut short in the most brutal of ways.

As reported by the Good Weekend on Saturday, Denton, 59, went to the doctor for a routine stress test in 2017 – and doctors identified three serious blockages in a main artery near his heart, a condition medicos call ‘the widowmaker’.

Brush with death: On Saturday, Andrew Denton (pictured), 59, and his wife Jennifer Byrne, 64, spoke about the time the Interview host nearly died as as result of heart disease

If Denton had not been rushed to surgery for a quadruple bypass, he could have died.

‘I definitely would have had some sort of attack,’ Denton said. ‘Probably a fatal one.’ 

Denton’s wife, journalist Jennifer Byrne, said that her husband of 15 years looked frighteningly still after the operation.

Shock diagnosis: As reported by the Good Weekend on Saturday, Denton, 59, went to the doctor for a routine stress test in 2017 - and doctors identified three serious blockages in a main artery near his heart, a condition medicos call 'the widowmaker'. Pictured: Andrew with wife Jennifer

Shock diagnosis: As reported by the Good Weekend on Saturday, Denton, 59, went to the doctor for a routine stress test in 2017 – and doctors identified three serious blockages in a main artery near his heart, a condition medicos call ‘the widowmaker’. Pictured: Andrew with wife Jennifer

‘He was deathly still, his skin a waxy white, his face grey-green, the only sound the pump and hiss of the tubes keeping him alive,’ Byrne said. 

The situation was not helped by the fact that Denton’s father, author Kit Denton, died from heart disease in 1997. 

Denton has since made a full recovery from the surgery, and now hosts Interview on Channel Seven.

If Denton had not been rushed to surgery for a quadruple bypass, he could have died. 'I definitely would have had some sort of attack,' Denton said. 'Probably a fatal one.' Pictured: Ansdrew interviewing Madonna

If Denton had not been rushed to surgery for a quadruple bypass, he could have died. ‘I definitely would have had some sort of attack,’ Denton said. ‘Probably a fatal one.’ Pictured: Ansdrew interviewing Madonna

While he has enjoyed a successful career in TV and radio for many years, it has not been plain sailing for Denton in other areas of his life.

In May, the TV veteran spoken candidly about his private battle with mental health at the height of his career in 1990s. 

Speaking to Mamamia’s No Filter podcast, the presenter revealed he was forced to put his career on hold in 1994 after almost suffering a mental breakdown. 

'He was deathly still, his skin a waxy white, his face grey-green, the only sound the pump and hiss of the tubes keeping him alive,' Byrne said of Denton when she visited him after his heart operation

‘He was deathly still, his skin a waxy white, his face grey-green, the only sound the pump and hiss of the tubes keeping him alive,’ Byrne said of Denton when she visited him after his heart operation

‘I had started a new two-nights-a-week live show at Channel 7. I was only probably about six weeks into it, and I had to step away. I was close to having a breakdown,’ he confessed. 

During the two weeks he was away from work, Andrew decided to seek professional help for the first time in his life.

‘That was the first time I was introduced to medication, which doesn’t solve your problem, it just gives you a ladder to climb out of the hole,’ said the father-of-one. 

He described his mental health battle as ‘debilitating’, but revealed that he has since learned to deal with negative thoughts and anxiety.  

Health battle: While he has enjoyed a successful career in TV and radio for many years, it has not been plain sailing for Denton in other areas of his life. In May, the TV veteran spoken candidly about his private battle with mental health at the height of his career in 1990s

Health battle: While he has enjoyed a successful career in TV and radio for many years, it has not been plain sailing for Denton in other areas of his life. In May, the TV veteran spoken candidly about his private battle with mental health at the height of his career in 1990s

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