Gavin & Stacey star Larry Lamb recalled suffering from a life-threatening illness in 2010.
The actor, 77, who plays Mick Shipman in the series, contracted malaria after a trip to Senegal to raise awareness about child poverty.
When he returned to the UK from his trip, he began to develop a severe fever that lasted for months and the illness eventually left him deaf in one ear and he developed tinnitus.
Now he has told The Express of his terrifying symptoms: ‘It has been catastrophic. I am famous for never being sick. But I went into a complete physical collapse. At one point I felt like I was dying. But the real shock was when I realized I couldn’t hear well.
“It was like the worst hangover I’ve ever had in my life. For a few days I had a fever that made me sweat and then go cold again. I couldn’t sleep, I didn’t have the strength to do anything.
‘It was hell. If I was sitting with two or three friends, it was impossible to follow the conversation. I suddenly understood why people with hearing loss can become isolated.’
Gavin & Stacey star Larry Lamb recalled suffering from a life-threatening illness in 2010.
The actor, 77, who plays Mick Shipman in the series, contracted malaria after a trip to Senegal to raise awareness about child poverty.
Malaria is a life-threatening disease that some types of mosquitoes transmit to humans.
The cast of Gavin and Stacey broke down in tears this week as they marked the last time they would be together as a group before watching the final episode.
The show’s creators James Corden, 46, and Ruth Jones, 58, took over as hosts of the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show on Monday and were joined by a host of cast members ahead of the final episode of the comedy.
But as their show began to come to a close, cast members could be seen swaying back and forth, hugging each other as they had an emotional moment.
Sitting in the studio listening to Stephen Fretwell’s Run, the cast could be seen enjoying their final moments together with a hug and a kiss.
And it wasn’t just the cast who were left sobbing as fans flocked to the comments box to reveal that they too shed a tear during the delivery.
One wrote: ‘Oh! Oh! I’m crying. It must feel like you’re going through a breakup. Such a lovely cast of people. They should all go out and get beat up and fight over Caroline Street.
‘To quote Pam Shipman’s 2008 Christmas special, I’m gone… actually, I’m gone!’
When he returned to the UK from his trip, he began to develop a severe fever that lasted for months and the illness eventually left him deaf in one ear and he developed tinnitus.
The cast of Gavin and Stacey broke down in tears this week as they marked the last time they would be together as a group before watching the final episode.
DAMN, TIDY! I’ve been crying all day and now I’m watching all the episodes again for the hundredth time ‘
‘Crying! Brilliant show, bravo!! I can’t wait to see the finale on Wednesday.
Their emotional display came after fans praised BBC Radio 2’s takeover of the cast as “iconic” and declared they wanted the stars to front the show “every day”.
During the show, they revealed secrets about the upcoming finale, shared some of their favorite memories from the series, and talked about all things holiday.
And Gavin and Stacey fans clearly loved the cast’s radio work as they rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their delight at hearing the actors on the airwaves in the morning.
They wrote: ‘Love the cast of Gavin and Stacey on @BBCRadio2 this morning. Coming home to the valleys today, I’m getting even more dizzy. Tidy!!
‘#Gavinandstacey taking over breakfast show #BBCRadio2 is ICONIC! I love it.’
‘Merry Christmas Ruth and James, I got up early this morning just to listen to you! I’ve watched Gavin and Stacey from the beginning and I can’t wait to see the end.
The latest installment will air in a 90-minute special on Christmas Day this year after fans of the show called for the story to be ended.
‘The #Gavinandstacey team should be on every breakfast show……. Hilarious and brilliant.’
‘I’d like to wake up to Ruth Jones every morning! #Gavinandstacey #BBCradiotwo A gift I wasn’t expecting.’
James and Ruth were joined by Joanna Page, Mat Horne, Rob Brydon, Alison Steadman, Larry Lamb and Rob Wilfort during the three-hour special.
The latest installment will air in a 90-minute special on Christmas Day this year after fans of the show called for the story to be ended.