The 65-year-old TV legend, adored by millions as the cheeky host of The Chase and now the revamped Gladiators alongside his son Barney, has opened up in a bombshell interview about his health fears, his tragic family history, and why he’s drawing a firm line under any speculation that he could step into the glitterball shoes left by Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.

In a candid chat with Radio Times, Bradley didn’t mince his words when addressing the persistent rumours linking him to the BBC ballroom behemoth. “If I was to host Strictly, it would absolutely ruin my weekend,” he declared. He painted a vivid picture of his cherished Saturday and Sunday routine during the winter months: finishing work on Friday, heading home for dinner followed by I’m a Celebrity, tuning in for the Saturday football results with a pint, catching Strictly itself, more I’m a Celebrity, and capping it all off with Match of the Day.

His son Barney backed him up, laughing: “That is completely true. That’s Dad’s weekend, every weekend.” For Bradley, the thought of jetting off to film live shows every Saturday night was simply a non-starter. No sequins, no scores from the judges – just sacred sofa time with the remote and a cold one!

But while Bradley clings fiercely to his downtime, a far more serious battle has been raging behind the scenes. The beloved presenter has confessed he’s been living like a “time bomb” due to sky-high cholesterol levels and a heartbreaking family history of heart disease that claimed his father’s life at just 59.

Bradley has spoken movingly about the shadow this tragedy cast over him. “I’d just done the Royal Variety Show performance which helped launch my career, but my dad died from heart failure two weeks after that and never got to see it,” he recalled in interviews with The Sun. Turning 60 felt like crossing a terrifying finish line. “I had it in the back of my mind that I just had to get past my dad’s age,” he said. Surviving that milestone brought relief, but the warnings kept coming.

His doctor delivered a brutal wake-up call: with inherited high cholesterol (passed down from his mother) and a family predisposition to heart problems, Bradley was told he needed to get fit – fast. “My heart guy said, ‘Look, Brad, you need to get fit’,” he revealed. “I was a time bomb. I produce too much cholesterol. It’s a silent killer.”

The stark diagnosis hit hard. Determined not to follow in his father’s footsteps, Bradley launched a full-scale lifestyle overhaul. He’s slashed starchy foods like bread, cakes, and potatoes, cut back on fatty meals and booze, and even hired a personal trainer to whip him into shape. “I’ve got myself a trainer, and I’m actually eating properly. Less bread, cakes, spuds, and stuff like that. I’m actually not doing too badly,” he told Heat magazine in a joint interview with Barney.

Yet Bradley is refreshingly honest about how tough it’s been. “As you get older, it’s much harder,” he admitted, especially with the temptations of life on set. He keeps Haribo sweets stashed in his dressing room and even in his pockets – but insists it’s all about moderation. “You can’t give up everything,” he insisted. “I’m not eating handfuls, just the odd one.” He even joked about waving boxes of chocolates at the camera in one interview, proving that total deprivation isn’t on the menu.

His efforts have paid off in the past – reports from 2022 highlighted impressive weight loss after similar warnings – but the 2026 New Year’s resolution to get slimmer and fitter is proving a real challenge. Still, Bradley draws inspiration from the super-fit Gladiators he works with on the BBC reboot, which kicked off its new season on January 17 at 5:45pm. “They tell me what to eat or what to take. They’re really lovely,” he said.

The father-son duo’s close bond shines through in their work on Gladiators, bringing them even tighter as they host the high-energy spectacle. But Bradley’s story goes beyond the arena – it’s a raw, relatable tale of a man in his mid-60s staring down genetic risks while refusing to let fear steal his joy.

He channels that fighting spirit into entertaining the nation, whether quizzing contestants on The Chase or hyping up contenders against muscle-bound warriors. His positive outlook remains infectious, even as he navigates these invisible health threats.

Bradley Walsh’s journey is equal parts cautionary and uplifting. In an age where celebrities often project perfection, his willingness to admit the struggles – the midnight cravings, the genetic lottery, the sheer effort required to change habits later in life – makes him more endearing than ever.

As he continues to light up Saturday nights with Gladiators and guards his weekends like treasure, Bradley reminds us all: life’s too short not to enjoy a pint and a bit of footy, but it’s also too precious not to fight for every healthy day you can get.

 

With his trademark wit undimmed and his family by his side, the TV favourite isn’t slowing down anytime soon. But one thing’s for certain – Strictly won’t be getting its hands on his sacred Saturdays!