Children's TV presenter Dave Benson Phillips has opened up about a painful health battle that left him unable to walk. The 61-year-old, best known for hosting the CBBC game show Get Your Own Back, recalled noticing alarming symptoms while performing in pantomime.
Sudden Symptoms and Diagnosis
Phillips described experiencing tingling sensations in his legs and a gradual loss of mobility. "It was very slow, but it was very painful. It was quite scary," he said. Medical tests later revealed he had type 2 diabetes, a condition he had been pre-diabetic for years before the official diagnosis a decade ago. He admitted, "I realised it was my own doing, my own fault. But it was still an incredible shock. It was a frightening thing."
Managing Diabetes with Technology
To monitor his blood sugar levels, Phillips now uses a Dexcom ONE+ glucose monitor. "It has made having diabetes a lot easier, because it takes away all the guess work," he explained. He encourages others to prioritise their health, stating, "I've had a real battle. I don't like the fact that there's things I've had to give up. But having diabetes made me aware of making good decisions about my lifestyle. I want to be around for as long as possible."
Previous Struggles with Fake News
Phillips also previously revealed he was one of the first victims of fake news spread online. He recalled a woman showing him a Facebook page that contained offensive comments about children with special needs, attributed to him. "It was a horrible thing to read," he said. He set up his own social media accounts to counter the trolls. The police became involved after one individual bombarded him with a quarter of a million emails using an algorithm. Despite being able to identify the source, Phillips noted, "Nobody has to be accountable."
