Regular guest expert has given an update on his health after being forced to take time off after undergoing surgery in hospital

A renowned TV doc, famed for his appearances on ITV shows ‘Lorraine’ and ‘Good Morning Britain’, Dr Hilary Jones has shared details of his painful injury. Sporting a protective boot on ‘Lorraine’ this morning, Dr Jones revealed he’s facing a severe leg issue necessitating surgery.

At 71, the doctor is tackling an Achilles tendon problem that requires the removal of a bone spur. But it’s not his only health setback recently – Dr Hilary has also been grappling with a fierce bout of gout.

Chatting to him today on the show, Lorraine Kelly exclaimed: “Tell you what, something that will make you feel better. Look who’s back. Doctor Hilary, he’s back, we’re so delighted. Hey, which is great. We’ve missed you.” Upon noticing Dr Hilary’s bulky boot, she continued: “We can see the evidence of why you’ve not been. Oh gosh, you can still get your legs… That’s quite a boot, isn’t it? ” Dr Jones responded, saying: “Thank you. I had a little disagreement with my Achilles tendon and a little bony spur in the back of my heel, so that had to be gone.”

Lorraine chimed in: “And you’ve been, you’ve not been able to do anything very much. Doctors don’t make good patients.” Dr Hilary Jones opened up about his recent health woes, confessing: “They don’t, but it does remind us what it’s like to be a patient, which is not a bad thing, not a bad thing. I feel fine, no pain.”

He shared his struggles with managing the injury, revealing: “I adjust the heel height every 10 degrees every week. It’s driving me crazy but I can actually shower now, so I’m clean. That’s good.”

The popular TV doc also disclosed that he had been laid low by gout during the holiday season. Gout occurs when urate accumulates in the body, crystallising in the joints and causing discomfort, inflammation, redness, and impaired joint function.

According to the NHS, risk factors for developing gout include being overweight, consuming alcohol, experiencing menopause, taking certain medications such as diuretics for high blood pressure, and having conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, kidney issues, osteoarthritis, or diabetes.

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Dr Hilary remarked on the condition’s prevalence, stating: “Gout affects around 2.5% or one in 40 people in the UK, and men more than women. Unfortunately, this Christmas I was one of them. The prevalence of gout has been steadily increasing over the last century and is forecast to increase further by more than 70% in the next 30 years largely due to an ageing population.”

Gout cases are on the upswing, largely due to our indulgent lifestyles and diets, according to Dr Hilary. He explains that “this is why gout is often experienced at Christmas and in the early months of the year. This is because foods that are high in purine and converted to uric acid are popular at Christmas. Examples include red meat, offal, game meats like venison, oily fish, seafood, poultry, and gravy.”

However, he also warns against January diets as a significant contributor to the rise in gout cases; “Rapid weight loss and cutting out alcohol suddenly can actually trigger gout attacks. This happens because rapid weight loss breaks down cells in the body, releasing uric acid into the bloodstream and increasing the likelihood of urate crystal formation in the joints.”

Dr. Hilary advises caution, recommending “Focus on gradual, sustainable changes rather than quick fixes or fad diets. A balanced diet and regular physical activity are key to reducing your risk of gout while supporting overall health.”