Miranda Hart: Chronic illness will make Celebrity Traitors ‘challenging’

Miranda Hart has said The Celebrity Traitors will be “challenging” on her body and people will not know if she is “sitting there in pain” because of her chronic illness.

The TV star, 53, best known for popular BBC sitcom Miranda, has spoken about being diagnosed with Lyme disease.

The disease can be easily treated if caught early, but Hart did not know what was causing her to feel unwell for some time, leading her to be diagnosed with Myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

ME is a chronic condition that causes extreme fatigue, with other symptoms including insomnia and brain fog.

Miranda Hart has spoken about being diagnosed with Lyme disease (Ian West/PA)

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Speaking about joining the BBC show, Hart said: “I’m still living with elements of ME, and that brings fatigue and pain to manage, but I have come to a point where I feel well enough to step out, and that’s also partly why I’m doing this.

“The joy of mucking about on television again will hopefully outweigh some of the challenges.

“And I think it will be challenging on my body, so it’ll be interesting, and it’ll take some courage as this is a big next step.

“When you live with a chronic illness, it’s invisible, so people don’t know that you’re sitting there in pain.

“But then it reminds you that everybody’s got their thing. So I’m also really looking forward to making friends and looking after each other and hopefully they can carry me up a hill or whatever we’re going to have to do!”

The comedian was motivated to do the show out of a desire to have fun and play games.

She said: “My decision-making in life generally, and certainly work, is follow the joy.

“I haven’t done much TV work for a long time, having only recently come out of long-term ill health issues and when I was offered this, my whole body sort of relaxed, I smiled, and I just wanted to jump about like a schoolgirl with joy.”

Miranda Hart is one of several comedians on the show (Ian West/PA)

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Fellow Celebrity Traitors star Romesh Ranganathan said he will have no problem stabbing close friend and fellow comedian Rob Beckett in the back if the game requires it.

He said: “Because Rob is one of my best friends, and we’ve worked together for a decade now, but I still won’t be able to trust it.

“I mean, he’s just as easily going to be on my side as he is going to twist the knife in my back given the opportunity.”

There are several other comedians taking part this year including Joanne McNally, James Acaster and Joe Lycett.

Acaster believes they could quickly come under suspicion from their fellow contestants, saying: “There will be suspicions that it’s going to be at least one of these guys, that we might form an alliance if we’re not broken apart.

“I think we’re going to be the first ones under the magnifying glass being looked at.”

The Celebrity Traitors begins on Thursday October 1 at 9.15pm on BBC One.