Gogglebox star Jonathan Tapper was left fighting for his life after catching coronavirus
The TV star is now recovering at home
Gogglebox's Jonathan Tapper was left fighting for his life after contracting coronavirus, his wife Nikki has revealed.
The couple appeared on the Channel 4 show from 2013 to 2018 - along with their two children Amy and Josh.
Jonathan, who is a diabetic, first showed symptoms last month - but as his condition escalated he was left unable to move and breathe.
Nikki told the Daily Star, ‘He laid down on the sofa and – with no exaggeration – he stayed there for two weeks in our lounge room. We tended to him as best we could, but at times he seemed unable to breathe.
‘Having spoken to the doctors, they urged us to stay home, but they said to quickly get an oxygen monitor, which fixed to his finger.’
She explained that she 'monitored' her husband’s oxygen levels with the help of NHS helpline operator.
Nikki added, ‘I tried to keep calm, asking him all the time if he could breathe. I felt that I couldn’t think straight because I was so unwell myself at the time too. Amy was crying.'
GoodtoKnow Newsletter
Parenting advice, hot topics, best buys and family finance tips delivered straight to your inbox.
A spokesperson for the Tappers revealed that it wasn’t just Jonathan who contracted the deadly virus.
Speaking to the Mail Online, they said, ‘I can confirm that the Tapper family all contracted Covid-19. We are really pleased to say the family are better - Jonathan is at the very end of his recovery and is now taking it easy.’
Jonathan is now continuing to rest and recover from the virus and trying to avoid a relapse.
Nikki added that she's thinking about other families going through the same thing at the moment.
She said, ‘So many other families are going through stuff that’s even worse. Our thoughts are with them.’
After his diabetes diagnosis last year, the Gogglebox star dropped from 21 stone 3Ibs to 18 stone 8Ibs - after following a new exercise and diet plan.
With a BA hons in English from the University of Liverpool Lizzie has over 7 years' experience writing all things lifestyle for national titles such as Evening Standard, Woman and Home and the Metro.