Michael Barrymore has stunned fans by revealing a devastating health diagnosis that has led to mini strokes — as the veteran comedian and TV star reached out in a deeply emotional TikTok video asking for support.
The entertainer, once one of the UK’s biggest household names, is now 73. His glittering career famously collapsed after the 2001 death of Stuart Lubbock following a party at Barrymore’s Essex mansion — a tragedy that still casts a shadow more than two decades on.
Barrymore lost his ITV role in 2003 and was largely absent from screens until a surprise return on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006, where he finished second. Later, in 2011, he was once again in the headlines after police found cocaine in his possession, although a charge of being drunk and disorderly was later withdrawn.
Despite scandals, Barrymore has made a surprising comeback as a TikTok and YouTube personality — embraced by Gen Z fans who find his online presence “wholesome” and relatable. But now, he has shared perhaps his most vulnerable revelation yet.
“I Developed Epilepsy at 73”
In a moving video posted to TikTok, Barrymore revealed that he had been diagnosed with epilepsy after suffering a mini stroke.
Sharing hospital photos, he explained:
“I developed epilepsy at 73. A mini stroke caused me to develop epilepsy where I have uncontrollable seizures.
I suffer from cluster seizures, which affect a quarter of people with epilepsy. It means I have more than one, usually three, in a short period of time.”
The star admitted the condition is frightening, as there is a 40% risk of “epilepticus,” which can lead to brain damage or death without urgent medical attention.
“I’ve had several attacks this year,” he added. “I keep emergency medication at home. It doesn’t really affect my life otherwise — but it would be nice to talk with other sufferers here about it.”
From Scandal to Social Media Icon
While his diagnosis shocked fans, Barrymore has quietly built a new career as a social media star. In fact, PR experts estimate he could now be earning more than £250,000 a year from TikTok clips and brand collaborations.
One recent partnership with Sports Direct reportedly netted him £1,500 for a single promotion. With over 3.8 million followers and 261 million likes, Barrymore’s content — from daily vlogs to Labubu toy unboxings — has struck a chord with younger audiences.
Even pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter reposted one of his videos, leaving Barrymore giddy with excitement: “Gang, I just woke up to find out Sabrina Carpenter knows I exist. I am fangirling so hard right now!!”
A Life Marked by Shadows
But Barrymore’s rise on social media can’t erase the controversies of the past.
In 2001, Stuart Lubbock, a 31-year-old father of two, died under suspicious circumstances after attending a party at Barrymore’s home. He was found unresponsive in Barrymore’s pool, and a post-mortem revealed severe internal injuries suggesting sexual assault. Police continue to believe he was raped and murdered, but no one has ever been charged.
Barrymore has always denied any involvement or knowledge of what happened. Lubbock’s father, Terry, who campaigned tirelessly for justice until his death from cancer in 2021, maintained that Barrymore could have done more to help uncover the truth.
Dropped by ITV amid mounting scandal, Barrymore’s once golden career seemed finished. He made a few attempts at a comeback, including stints on Big Brother and Dancing On Ice, but the shadow of the case lingered.
The Spanish Escape That Failed
Last year, Barrymore announced he was leaving Britain to start afresh in Spain. But within just six weeks, he confessed to feeling desperately homesick, recording an emotional video in his car — almost in tears.
Fans rallied to comfort him, some even offering spare rooms if he needed a place to stay.
While the move didn’t work out, his TikTok community has become his sanctuary, giving him both an income and a connection with audiences who see him less as a disgraced TV personality, and more as a funny, eccentric “Grandpa Michael.”
Now, as Barrymore opens up about his epilepsy battle, fans have once again flooded his comments with messages of love and encouragement. For a man who once seemed destined for permanent exile from public life, his story is now one of survival, reinvention — and the unfiltered reality of growing older in the public eye.
Source: Daily Mail
