Carol Vorderman, 60, says she’s considering retiring her TV career after long Covid battle

‘I don’t want to do it any more’: Carol Vorderman, 60, says she’s considering retiring her TV career to focus on her health after long Covid left her ‘bloated and beyond tired’

Carol Vorderman has said she is considering retiring her prestigious TV career to focus on her health. 

The former Countdown presenter, 60, said she was finding her commitments ‘unpleasant’ as she battled long Covid. 

In a new interview Carol said she was left feeling bloated and ‘beyond tired’ from her hectic schedule last year and is considering giving it all up for the sake of her well-being.

Retirement? Carol Vorderman (pictured on Monday) has said she is considering retiring her prestigious TV career to focus on her health

Carol told The Mirror: ‘I’m not that bothered about being on the telly any more. I worked my butt off last year and I don’t want to do it any more.’

The presenter said having a hectic schedule filming The Maths Factor, various TV shows including Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel, and making new books caused her feel burnt out.   

She added: ‘I found lockdown difficult – like everybody. By last Christmas I was bloated and not well. Tired beyond tired, and I was finding filming not pleasant.   

Stepping away from the screen: Carol is best known for co-hosting the game show Countdown for 26 years from 1982 until 2008 (pictured in 2006)

Stepping away from the screen: Carol is best known for co-hosting the game show Countdown for 26 years from 1982 until 2008 (pictured in 2006)

Tough: The former Countdown presenter, 60, said she was finding her commitments 'unpleasant' as she battled long Covid

Tough: The former Countdown presenter, 60, said she was finding her commitments ‘unpleasant’ as she battled long Covid 

‘In January I said to my agent: “I’m just not doing that any more. I don’t see the point. I’m going to concentrate on my health”, so that’s what I’ve been doing.’ 

Carol is best known for co-hosting the game show Countdown for 26 years from 1982 until 2008. 

Her lasting success on the show led to her becoming one of the highest-paid women in Britain, ultimately earning her an estimated £1 million per year.

She also went on to anchor Loose Women, star on Strictly Come Dancing and I’m A Celebrity and guest host Lorraine.   

Maths whizz: Her lasting success on the show led to her becoming one of the highest-paid women in Britain, ultimately earning her an estimated £1 million per year (pictured 1984)

Maths whizz: Her lasting success on the show led to her becoming one of the highest-paid women in Britain, ultimately earning her an estimated £1 million per year (pictured 1984)

On Monday, Carol appeared on Good Morning Britain where she detailed her three month struggle with long Covid. 

The presenter revealed she ‘couldn’t walk 100 yards’ as she battled the debilitating lingering impact of contracting coronavirus.

Carol said: ‘I got Covid before lockdown. Long covid. You know I’m a walker, so I can be like “oh I’ll go off and find a nice 15 miler today” – I couldn’t walk 100 yards. And months later I still couldn’t.’  

Carol mimicked taking a long, strained gasp for air as she explained: ‘I would be like… “uhhhh”… Yeah months, probably three months.’

Covid: The presenter said having a hectic schedule filming The Maths Factor, various TV shows including Michael McIntyre's The Wheel, and making new books caused her feel burnt out

Covid: The presenter said having a hectic schedule filming The Maths Factor, various TV shows including Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel, and making new books caused her feel burnt out

Thankfully, the popular presenter asserted that she has fully recovered, insisting: ‘I’m fine now, absolutely fine.’ 

Carol recently admitted that she ‘feels like she’s still 20,’ after wowing fans with her ageless complexion. 

The maths whizz confessed she’s in denial about her age and has embraced feeling young at heart, adding she’s also ‘genuinely happy’ being single and has no plans to start hunting for ‘the One.’

Speaking as nominations opened for this year’s Pride Of Britain Awards, Carol told The Mirror: ‘I know I’m 60 – I know that because my birth certificate says so…. In my head I feel like I’m 20!’   

Carol split from her Red Arrows pilot boyfriend Graham Duff five years ago and has been keeping in shape since with intermittent fasting and a personal trainer. 

Of the prospect of a new romance, the presenter coyly explained: ‘I am genuinely happy being single with ‘special’ friends.’  

Hiker: 'I got Covid before lockdown. Long covid. You know I'm a walker, so I can be like "oh I'll go off and find a nice 15 miler today" - I couldn't walk 100 yards' she said (Pictured on a hike)

Hiker: ‘I got Covid before lockdown. Long covid. You know I’m a walker, so I can be like “oh I’ll go off and find a nice 15 miler today” – I couldn’t walk 100 yards’ she said (Pictured on a hike)

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