American Idol star Randy Jackson has sparked health fears after a recent frail TV appearance. The reality show judge, 69, who has lost more than 100lbs following a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, left fans worried as he returned to the Fox show earlier this month as a guest mentor for the season 24 semi-finalists.
Concerns Over Jackson's Appearance
Jackson, alongside fellow original judge Paula Abdul, was seen greeting contestants while sat down in a chair, looking gaunt in the face and speaking with a hoarse voice. Concerned fans took to social media to enquire about the star's health, claiming he looks 'weak and frail' and questioning whether he could stand up unaided.
One fan wrote: 'Omg is that Randy???' while a second typed: 'Oh my god.' Others wrote: 'The "Ozempic look" is not a sexy look. You look like skeletons. Stop the injections before it's too late, just look at how frail Randy Jackson looks.'
'He looks frail, and can he not walk? Sitting in a chair when meeting everyone.' 'He looks weak and frail. He only sat. I hope he is OK!' 'It looks like he can barely open his eyes or stand up.'
Jackson's Health Journey
In his 2008 memoir, Body with Soul, Jackson revealed that during the height of his fame, his weight had soared to 350lbs. He said he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2003, which resulted in him deciding to get a gastric bypass surgery.
'It's a great jump starter. You lose a bunch of weight really fast, but maintaining is another thing,' he told People in 2022 about keeping the weight off after the surgery. 'You get there and your mind tells you, "OK, phew. I'm here now. I can start to party and bring out the cheesecake."'
At the time, he said he had lost 114lbs from the surgery, and kept it off by 'eating healthy, avoiding crash diets and prioritizing his gut health.'
'I hate the word diet. I don't use that anymore. Anybody that's lost weight, you lose it and then you start eating and drinking more and it all starts coming back,' the former American Idol judge added. 'That's what started happening to me. I was like, "No, I'm not going to spend my life going through this."'
'You have to change the way you think about food. You have to almost have a complete divorce break up … and start back bit by bit and find out the things that work with your body and you also find out the allergies and really pay attention to how you feel.'
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Randy Jackson for comment and has yet to hear back.
