Boris Johnson ‘presented a fighter’s stance’ as he addressed nation two weeks after leaving hospital

Boris Johnson came out fighting today and tried to show the nation he is fit to lead again ‘after taking a pasting’ from coronavirus – but cannot possibly be feeling 100 per cent so soon after leaving intensive care, experts told MailOnline today.

The Prime Minister is back at work and addressed the nation from Downing Street where he labelled the killer virus an ‘invisible mugger’ after his own personal experience facing off the deadly illness.

Drawing on his own battle he said: ‘If this virus were a physical assailant, an unexpected and invisible mugger – which I can tell you from personal experience it is – then this is the moment when we have begun together to wrestle it to the floor.’

Many viewers were happy the PM is on the road to recovery – but doctors said he has clearly been ravaged by Covid-19, having admitted ‘it could have gone either way’ in intensive care at St Thomas’ Hospital this month.

Body language expert Judi James described watching an ‘undeniably weary-looking, this was Boris with the fun sucked out of his bones’.

She said: ‘As he emerged from No 10 and walked awkwardly to the lectern, holding his arms out and away from his body as though to aid his balance. When he looked up to camera his eyes wore a haunted look despite the fact his mouth was puckered into a part-smile. 

Body language expert Judi James said Boris Johnson took a boxer’s pose as he addressed the nation today but he looked ‘weary’ despite the positive stance, she said

Doctors said that Mr Johnson will not be feeling 100 per cent despite starting back at work today

The PM compared Covid-19 to a mugger being dragged to the ground and defeated

Viewers said he looked thinner and his hair is longer than a month ago (right)

The PM compared Covid-19 to a mugger being dragged to the ground and defeated. Viewers said he looked thinner and his hair is longer than a month ago (right on March 25)

Ms James said Boris 'leant heavily' on the lectern in Downing Street as he urged people to stick with the lockdown

Ms James said Boris ‘leant heavily’ on the lectern in Downing Street as he urged people to stick with the lockdown

‘He leant heavily on the lectern with both arms and a sizeable part of his speech involved pauses between words during some of his simplest key messages.

‘Boris did seem to slowly re-gain some of his more energetic and emphatic moves with time, though, rather like a boxer beginning to fight back after taking a pasting. His hands started to form fists and by the end he had thrown about seven unconvincing and four clunking air-punches as he began to rally the country and motivate those of us on lock-down. 

Timeline: Boris’s battle with coronavirus 

March 26: Boris Johnson announces he has tested positive for coronavirus in a Twitter video and continues working in self-isolation from his Number 11 flat.

April 5: Downing Street says the PM has been taken to St Thomas’ Hospital as a precaution after displaying persistent symptoms.

April 6: Mr Johnson is moved to the hospital’s intensive care unit after his condition worsened, but does not require ventilation. Dominic Raab begins to deputise for the PM.

April 9: He was moved out of intensive care and back on to the normal ward.

April 11: The PM was discharged from hospital. He thanked NHS staff for saving his life in a video recorded from Downing Street before heading to Chequers with his pregnant fiancée Carrie Symonds.

April 26: Mr Johnson arrives back in Number 10 as he prepares to return to work. 

‘There were flashes of the old Boris we saw during Brexit here, but looking at his demeanor at the beginning of his speech I would suggest we don’t underestimate the size of the personal physical challenge for him on this return to business’. 

While TV doctor and Gp Dr Arun Ghosh told MailOnline:  ‘He’s lost weight and muscle mass which could explain why we looked tired in the face. 

‘Normally people in his position would take several weeks to recover and be back to normal. 

‘So for coming back after two weeks of such a serious illness its impossible for him to be 100%. 

‘I just hope the pressure of such a position doesn’t put his health back at risk. I’m sure his doctors will be closely monitoring him’.

While broadcaster Dr Rob Hicks said: ‘It’s very good to see Mr Johnson up and about again, He looked and sounded drained, but this is hardly surprising given what he’s endured’

The 55-year-old Prime Minister spent three nights in intensive care following his admittance on April 5 to St Thomas’ Hospital in central London, and later revealed his struggle with Covid-19 ‘could have gone either way’ during that period.

Speaking outside Downing Street to mark his return, Mr Johnson said he was ‘sorry I have been away from my desk for much longer than I would have liked’.

He said the UK was on its way to tackling coronavirus after social distancing measures had ensured the NHS had not been overwhelmed during the peak of the infections. 

While at Chequers last week, the Conservative Party leader was in regular talks with those leading the UK coronavirus response, including Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who was deputising for the PM, but this week will see him leading the Government in public once again.

The 55-year-old Prime Minister spent three nights in intensive care following his admittance on April 5 to St Thomas’ Hospital 

The 55-year-old Prime Minister spent three nights in intensive care following his admittance on April 5 to St Thomas' Hospital

The 55-year-old Prime Minister spent three nights in intensive care following his admittance on April 5 to St Thomas’ Hospital

Mr Johnson walks back into No 10 where he then chaired a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee

Mr Johnson walks back into No 10 where he then chaired a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, another leading figure in the battle against Covid-19, responded to Mr Johnson’s public appearance, tweeting: ‘Great to see the boss back and on top form.’

Nadine Dorries, the first minister to be diagnosed with the virus, said the PM was back to work quicker than many others would be in his situation.

‘Most who have been as poorly as Boris Johnson with Covid-19 and a patient for a week in intensive care would be off work for at least three months to fully recover their strength and repair their immune system,’ the health minister tweeted.

‘Our PM is back after just three weeks. Good luck boss.’

Edward Argar, a fellow health minister, said he was ‘hugely pleased’ to see Mr Johnson ‘back at work today with his health fully restored’.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the PM would be ‘looking very carefully’ at how to lift the lockdown measures now that he was back at the helm.

During his speech outside Number 10, Mr Johnson promised ‘transparency’ over future decisions on social distancing and vowed to involve businesses and opposition parties when deciding a way forward. 

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