Richard Bacon’s spokesperson has said the broadcaster is still in a medically-induced coma, following an interview in which his mother was quoted as saying he was not.
Late on Thursday afternoon, the spokesperson issued a statement, which read: “Richard remains in a medically induced coma after falling ill last week but he is improving all the time and everyone is hopeful that he will recover quickly thanks to the incredible NHS treatment he is receiving.
“This has been very difficult for everyone who loves Richard, all of whom appreciate the many messages of support which have been received, and there will be no further comment at this time.”
Earlier in the day, local news outlet the Mansfield Chad has a published an interview with Christine Bacon, in which she appeared to state Richard was no longer sedated.
“He was having a lot of oxygen ventilation, a lot more than a normal person would need, through a pipe, as well as lot of antibiotics,” she was quoted as saying. “They kept him like that for a week and we hadn’t left his side, at one point we really felt we might lose him.
“That went on until his temperature went down and then on Wednesday they did a tracheostomy to improve his breathing and bring him off sedation.
“It was such a relief when he opened his eyes, although he’s not responding to us very well yet we can see that he is getting better.”
“The doctors have said that he is very distressed and confused after being in a coma for a week, which you can understand, and that we need to keep talking to him and reminding him of where he is,” she continued. “There’s a long way to go yet, but this is a very positive step and it has eased my mind.”
She also tweeted:
The broadcaster had been placed into a coma after being taken ill on a flight from the US to the UK earlier this month.
On Thursday, Richard’s sister Juliet shared an update on Instagram, telling her followers that she was visiting her brother in hospital for the seventh day running.
The week before, he posted a picture of himself in a hospital bed with the caption: “Thank God I got ill in Britain (actually on the way to Britain, was taken off the plane in a wheelchair). Fuck all the ideology driven politicians who’ve messed up America’s healthcare system. Viva the NHS.”
Richard and his family are currently based in the US, having relocated to Los Angeles in September 2014.
Since calling time on his BBC 5 Live radio show to make the move Stateside, he’s landed numerous jobs, hosting programmes on CBS and National Geographic Channel.