TV Host Rushed Into Emergency Surgery: Richard Osman Said He Suffered ‘Unbelievable Pain’

Even liquid morphine couldn’t dull the agony. British television personality Richard Osman, 54, revealed he underwent emergency surgery at London’s Charing Cross Hospital after experiencing what he describes as “the single most painful thing that has ever happened to me” – a kidney stone that required immediate medical intervention.

Speaking on his podcast The Rest Is Entertainment on Tuesday, Feb. 4, the beloved presenter shared details of his harrowing experience with co-host Marina Hyde. “I’ve had quite the week of it. I woke up the other night in pain and I had a kidney stone,” Osman explained. Medical staff compared the pain level to childbirth, though the presenter quipped, “I’m not sure I can buy that.”

The pain was so intense that even powerful medication proved insufficient: “It was unbelievably painful but thank you to everyone at Charing Cross Hospital who were so great. I was having liquid morphine and it didn’t touch the sides.”

Following the successful operation to remove the stone, Osman expressed great relief, stating, “Then I had an operation and they took it out. So I have the absolute joy of not being in pain.”

Doctors provided stern post-operative guidance to the former BBC star, emphasizing the importance of increased water intake to prevent future stones. Osman appeared optimistic about the prescribed lifestyle modification, noting, “That I can do, no major lifestyle changes, just drink more water.”

The Cleveland Clinic explains that kidney stones affect more than 1 in 10 people, typically developing in individuals aged 30 to 60. Common symptoms include pain in the side of the abdomen, severe pain that comes and goes, and feeling sick or vomiting. If left untreated, they can trigger severe complications, including kidney infections or impaired organ function.

This medical emergency is the latest in Osman’s history of health challenges. The presenter, who stands at 6 feet 7 inches, has previously discussed his ongoing battle with food addiction. In a 2021 Radio 4 Desert Island Discs interview via Daily Mail, he revealed: “There hasn’t been a day of my life since the age of nine where I haven’t thought about problems with food and how it affects me, and it will be with me for the rest of my life. I know that I am either controlling it or not controlling it at any given time.”

He also lives with nystagmus, an eye condition causing uncontrolled movements that prevent him from driving and reading autocues. As he described it, his vision is like being in a “permanent fog,” though he’s managed to turn this challenge into an advantage, as his inability to read an autocue has enhanced his ad-lib abilities.

Best known for creating and hosting the BBC One television quiz show Pointless until his departure in 2022, Osman has also appeared on numerous other programs, including Have I Got News For You, Would I Lie To You, and The One Show. He currently hosts House of Games and continues to work on various broadcasting projects while producing his successful podcast.