ITV News presenter Paul Brand has issued a statement about his health after viewers were left worried about his appearance.
The 39-year-old Welsh broadcaster sparked concern when he presented the News at Ten on Monday (7 April) with what appeared to be a droopy eye.
Viewers were alarmed, and shared their thoughts on social media. The comments ranged from mild curiosity to wild theories about serious health issues.
“Paul Brand looks as if his face has dropped on the right hand side,” wrote one person. “That could be the sign of a stroke or Bells Palsy.”
Another added: "Has Paul Brand had an allergic reaction / hay fever reaction in his right eye?"
Brand cleared up the concern with an update on his social media, telling his fans: "For those asking, the dodgy eye is just a product of a toddler's grubby fingers. Hopefully less red tomorrow."
He then shared a further update on Tuesday (8 April), writing: “Eye slightly less weird today.”
Brand shares one son with his partner Joe Cuddeford. The newsreader has been UK editor at ITV News since 2021. He started his career in journalism as a production journalist at ITV Wales in 2008. He then worked as a political correspondent for ITV Yorkshire and ITV Tyne Tees and Border.
Having joined ITV News as a political correspondent in 2016, he occasionally presents Good Morning Britain and also presented the current affairs programmed Tonight for the past three years.
Brand has been open about the homophobic abuse he has faced on social media in 2022, when he was at the centre of reporting on Covid law-breaking in Downing Street and Whitehall.
After breaking several agenda-setting exclusive stories on the Partygate scandal, including a picture of Boris Johnson raising a glass at the leaving do of his former spin doctor, Lee Cain, some speculated about who his sources were. A Tory MP also suggested that the image was linked to Brand’s husband who is a civil servant.
He clarified the misconception writing: “It’s been an education in how disinformation spreads. Inevitably it became pretty homophobic and grim so in order to protect the people I love I felt I had to tweet this.”
