MasterChef star breaks silence on ‘awful’ near-fatal accident that left him hospitalised
MASTERCHEF star John Torode has opened up about the terrifying horse riding accident that left him hospitalised.
On Boxing Day 2016, the TV cooking show judge was left ‘very bruised‘ after being thrown off the saddle.
In a new interview with The Mirror, John 59, reflected: “I felt like I had nine lives after I fell off.”
His wife, actress and presenter Lisa Faulkner, 52, added: “He got thrown off twice. It was pretty awful.”
John and Lisa had been enjoying a day out at Claridge’s when the accident took place.
Eight years ago, fans were worried after Lisa posted a picture of John in a hospital bed.
She wrote: “Thank you so very much to the lovely docs and nurses yesterday #stmaryshospitalpaddington for looking after my @johntorodecooks who is very bruised but doing well!”
A concerned fan wrote: “Oh my goodness, get well soon John.”
While another added: “Thinking of you, feel better soon!”
At the time, John also shared an update, penning: “I really am ok everyone!
“Thank you, just took a tumble whilst out riding & posted photo to thank the Docs, nurses and all at St Mary’s.
“Thank you all for your kind wishes.
“I really am ok but a massive thank you to St. Mary’s & the NHS for everything #stmaryshospitalpaddington.”
John and Lisa met back in 2010, when she ultimately won that year’s Celebrity MasterChef.
Having begun dating in 2015, the couple went on to tie the knot in 2019.
John and Lisa have since co-hosted John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen since 2019.
It transpired they had inadvertently crossed paths many times prior to their union.
In a joint interview with The Sun, John said: “We have been in the same clubs at the same time, at the same concerts at the same time, the same restaurants at the same time over the last three decades having no idea or having bumped into each other.”
While Lisa added: “[John’s] restaurants like Mezzo and Quaglinos and Bluebird… all of those places that [John was] at, me and my mates would all be like ‘yes this is the hot new restaurant’.
“We didn’t know about John, we just would go to eat the food…and you worked in all of them.”
Celebrity MasterChef is currently airing on BBC One and iPlayer.