Miranda Hart reveals Celebrity Traitors ‘challenge’ while living with debilitating condition

Miranda Hart reveals Celebrity Traitors ‘challenge’ while living with debilitating condition | Deputy Entertainment Editor Published September 22, 2026 9:14am Updated September 22, 2026 9:14am ‘I have come to a point where I feel well enough to step out,’ Miranda Hart says ahead of her Celebrity Traitors appearance (Picture: BBC) Miranda Hart has revealed how her television comeback on The Celebrity Traitors was ‘challenging’. The comedian, 53, is set to appear on the BBC series alongside the likes of Richard E. Grant, Romesh Ranganathan, and Michael Sheen, with the show launching on October 1. But the TV star has explained that the appearance was difficult for her body, three decades after being diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis, often known as chronic fatigue syndrome, which left her ‘bedbound and without joy’. The Call the Midwife star said the chance to appear on the TV series was the perfect opportunity to return to work. As a result of the diagnosis, Miranda has been mostly away from the spotlight over the past five years, with her TV appearances limited to chat shows and Comic Relief. ‘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,’ she said. The comedian said that taking part in Celebrity Traitors will be ‘challenging’ on her body (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative) Miranda will appear alongside the likes of Amol Rajan, Bella Ramsey, James Acaster, and James Blunt (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative) ‘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,’ she explained. ‘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!’ Miranda first became unwell aged 15 and her illness developed into chronic fatigue. It culminated while in her mid-40s in a collapse which at its peak left her confined to bed, with doctors struggling to diagnose the illness. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Miranda talks about her health battle in her book, I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest With You. (Picture: Isabel Infantes/PA) What is Lyme disease? Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can spread to humans by infected ticks. According to the NHS, symptoms can include rashes and flu-like symptoms including a high temperature, headache, muscle and join pain, tiredness and loss of energy. People with Lyme disease can get better after antibiotic treatment, which can take months for some people, but improve their symptoms over time. At one point, doctors told her there was nothing wrong with her but eventually she was diagnosed with Lyme disease – a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks. ‘In my case, my level of illness, it was never acute, I wasn’t going to collapse and die of it, luckily,’ she said. ‘But I kept saying to doctors, I know I’m leading a half-life, I’m leading a very debilitated life but with no understanding of why. ‘And it was almost like I kept saying, eventually, as the years went on, I said, if this was a named condition and this is how you manage it, then I could handle it, I could dig in. ‘I think the hardest thing about these sort of fatigue-based conditions, whatever they come from, is that lack of understanding, lack of never knowing when there’s an end date, no management plan.’ Deals of the Day Primark's new £14 co-ord has autumn styling on a budget covered Topman’s new-season collection has arrived and prices start at just £10 An Instagram mattress left me with back pain – this one completely changed my mind From £700 MacBooks to discounted iPhones, the best Apple tech for studentsb Save 25% on red light therapy masks, sauna blankets and sleep gadgets in Bon Charge sale The Celebrity Traitors starts on Thursday, October 1 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Arrow MORE: Celebrity Traitors season 2 star Joanne McNally takes swipe at new trailer Arrow MORE: When is the Celebrity Traitors season 2 release date? What we know about BBC show return Arrow MORE: Tom Ellis: ‘Pierce Brosnan told me I’d make a good James Bond’ TV Newsletter Sign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.