Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz

Inside Coronation presenter JJ Chalmers' harrowing injuries and pain he battles daily

Scottish TV presenter JJ Chalmers' role in King Charles III's Coronation on May 6 will be very apt, as he will be speaking to members of the military as they prepare for one of the largest parades in history.

Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant JJ was badly injured in a bomb blast in Afghanistan in 2011, while he himself was serving as a Royal Marine.

JJ suffered life-changing injuries from an IED (improvised explosive device) when he was out on foot patrol with his comrades.

The 36-year-old went on to be made a trustee of the Invictus Games Foundation by Prince Harry, and credited him for providing him with "one of the key catalysts" in his recovery.

JJ Chalmers served in the Royal Marines from 2010 (JJ Chalmers)

He is a former participant in the sporting event for wounded, injured and sick service personnel, and is a gold medallist.

JJ joined the Royal Marines Reserve in 2005 while at university and entered regular service in 2010. In 2011 he served on the frontline, and was wounded in a blast that claimed the lives of two of his friends.

JJ was thrown onto his back and says the first thing he remembers about the harrowing day 12 years ago is lying "pulverised" in a pile of rubble.

The father-of-two said: "Every part of my body had sustained some sort of damage. My legs were torn open, my face was crushed, my neck was broken, my arms were pretty well torn off."

JJ Chalmers was badly injured while serving in Afghanistan (JJ Chalmers)

It was the "worst pain" the young Royal Marine Commando had ever experienced and he remains eternally grateful for the fellow soldiers who desperately tried to save his life while they waited for medical help to arrive.

He was taken by helicopter to Camp Bastion and an hour after being severely injured in the blast was on the operating table.

JJ was flown back to the UK for life-saving treatment and the hero Royal Marine endured 30 operations on his wounded body.

He was in a coma at the the Queen Elizabeth military hospital in Birmingham for a week.

JJ said: "My arms essentially came off, and they were stuck back on by incredible surgeons in the coming weeks, and months, and years, for that matter.

"My face was crushed, my neck was broken, my eardrums were burst. Pretty much everything had had some level of damage.

"But, except for a couple of fingers, everything was still there. It was all stuck back together, the surgeon built me a new body.

"And then I spent the best part of four or five years learning how to use that body."

He's now a TV presenter (jj.chalmers/Instagram)

He has never forgotten the comrades his lost on that devastating day in 2011 and makes sure he remembers them every day.

The presenter said: "I can never leave what happened on that day behind. It is the single most bittersweet thing in my life, because I survived — but we lost two amazing guys.

"That will stick with me forever. My daughter Hayley's middle name is Olivia in honour of Ollie (Augustin). I will never put what happened behind me, but I'm not going to let it define me either."

And he says he has his beloved wife, Kornelia, was the one who gave him vital support during his recovery.

JJ explained: "I stand here today because of her. I was with her through Afghanistan and it was a challenging thing for her to put up with.

"She dragged me through hospital, through recovery, did things for me that no one would ever want to ask a loved one to do for them but she did it and she kept my morale going, and she was the one who said go out there and chase your dreams.

"She put her life on hold essentially so that I could have the opportunities I have and when I get out on the dance floor come Saturday I'm doing it for both of us. That's how it is."

It was watching the Paralympics the year after he had suffered his injuries that JJ realised he did have a future outside of the Forces and moved into TV presenting two years later.

He was recruited by Prince Harry to help promote The Invictus Games through a series of interviews and since then JJ has never looked back.

Do you have a story to share? Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.