Josie Gibson has opened up about a surprising health scare she faced while filming her new Channel 5 series The 1970s Diet, where she tested out the old-school food and fitness routines to see if we could benefit from bringing them back.
The show’s premise is simple: stick to the typical portion sizes and daily exercises people followed in the ’70s. Sounds harmless, right? But Josie got more than she bargained for when her body didn’t exactly take kindly to the diet switch-up—she ended up getting gout, reported Surrey Live.
Speaking to Closer magazine, Josie admitted she was shocked: “I thought only kings like Henry VIII got gout. I was like, ‘I’m a 40-year-old woman; this is really embarrassing.’” The unexpected diagnosis hit her while juggling another travel show, where the champagne and rich foods were flowing, not exactly part of a balanced routine.
“I think when some presenters taste something, they just have a little nibble,” she said, “but I love my food too much; I just can’t help it.”
After the scare, Josie took a hard look at her lifestyle and knew she had to make some changes. One big shift? Her sleep. She used to scrape by on four or five hours, six if she was lucky. Now she’s aiming for a full eight or nine hours every night, and she says it’s changed everything. “I feel like a totally different human being,” she said, noting that she’s a “better mum” and even sharper at work.
As for gout, it’s no joke. Once called the “disease of kings” because it was linked to luxury lifestyles, it’s now recognised as a common and painful type of arthritis. The NHS says it usually hits the big toe but can also affect ankles, knees, and other joints, with flare-ups causing hot, swollen, and tender areas. Around 1 in 40 people in the UK suffer from it, and it’s more common in men, but Josie’s case is a reminder that anyone can be affected, especially with a rich diet.
Gout happens when there’s too much uric acid in the blood, which forms crystals around the joints. It can be genetic, but other triggers include alcohol, being overweight, certain medications, and health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes.
Doctors urge anyone who suspects they’ve got gout to see a GP, especially if it’s a first-time attack or if normal treatments aren’t working. And if the pain comes with a fever or nausea, it could be something even more serious.
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