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Richard Osman has revealed he was taken to hospital for surgery after waking up in agony.
The TV presenter and Thursday Murder Club author, 54, was taken to Charing Cross Hospital in London where doctors discovered he had a kidney stone.
Kidney stones are caused by high levels of calcium, oxalate, and phosphorus in urine. These minerals are normally found in urine and don’t cause problems at low levels. However, dehydration and diet can cause build-ups.
Kidney stones are a common problem affecting more than one in 10 people, according to the NHS, which says they can develop in one or both kidneys and usually affect people between the ages of 30-60.
Speaking on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, Osman said: “I’ve had quite the week of it. I woke up the other night in pain and I had a kidney stone.”
He added: “It is the single most painful thing that has ever happened to me. The doctors kept saying it’s more painful than childbirth but I’m not sure I can buy that.”
Kidney stones can be extremely painful, and may lead to complications, including kidney infections or the kidney not working properly. While stones often pass naturally, some people require surgical intervention for removal.
Expressing his gratitude to NHS staff, Osman said: “It was unbelievably painful but thank you to everyone at Charing Cross Hospital who were so great. I was having liquid morphine and it didn’t touch the sides.
“Then I had an op and they took it out. So I have the absolute joy of not being in pain.”
Following the procedure, doctors told Osman to drink more water to prevent future stone formation. “That I can do,” Richard said. “No major lifestyle changes, just drink more water.”
It comes shortly after Osman achieved platinum status for the third time with the most recent novel in his Thursday Murder Club series.
The Last Devil To Die, the fourth book in the murder mystery series, was among five titles honoured at the annual Bestseller Awards, having sold more than a million copies in the UK.
Osman, who became a household name on Pointless, left the hit TV quiz show in 2022 to concentrate on writing, having co-hosted alongside Alexander Armstrong since its debut in 2009.
The first book in The Thursday Murder Club series became a platinum bestseller, and book number three, The Bullet That Missed, achieved the same status last year.
The film rights to Osman’s debut novel have been sold to Steven Spielberg’s production company. Although The Thursday Murder Club doesn’t have a release date, Netflix has confirmed the movie will arrive in 2025.
“Spielberg sounds very happy. He sounds very enthused about the whole project, which is really lovely,” Osman said of the adaptation in 2022. “I think if Steven Spielberg is enthused, then I choose to be as well.”
