I FELT LIKE A LOSER

Star's fibromyalgia and arthritis hell

BROADCASTER Kirsty Young has told of her battle with the agonising condition fibromyalgia – saying: “I felt like a loser.”

The former Desert Island Discs presenter said the illness – which causes chronic pain all over the body – “corroded her personality” and started to “grind down her sense of self ”.

She added that she lost her sense of humour, couldn’t be happy and was unable to do simple tasks with her family.

The 54-year-old – who hosted almost 500 editions of BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs between 2006 and 2018 – also has rheumatoid arthritis.

Kirsty told The Adam Buxton podcast she quit her job interviewing stars such as footballer David Beckham to get treatment for the conditions.

She said: “If you have a longterm chronic pain condition or two it starts to corrode your personality.