Jonathan Ross said his daughter’s fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is “getting slowly better” as he opened up about her diagnosis.
The ITV chat show host, 62, added that Betty still “cannot walk far” after being diagnosed with FMS, a long-term condition which causes pain all over the body.
Ross said Betty also has chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a long-term condition which causes extreme tiredness and problems sleeping and thinking and postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS), an abnormal increase in heart rate that occurs after sitting up or standing.
Ross said the doctors thought his daughter’s illnesses may have been caused by Covid as they are immune system conditions but there is “no consensus” on treating her yet.
He also told Loose Women on Friday that she is now using an electric wheelchair since the summer to be mobile while going long distances.
Ross credits the Perrin Technique which treats CFS and FMS through osteopathic techniques and manual lymphatic drainage for improving Betty’s health.
He added that it has been difficult for her being “stuck indoors” and “not being able to join in with things”.
He said: “So if we’re going out we have to give her plenty of time to get ready, get downstairs and then have a rest before we go to the next step, you know.”
“It does have an impact but the good news is, she’s definitely showing improvement and feeling better in herself.
“So we’re relieved and we’re happy with that.”
Ross also said he is “terrible” at trying to “fix” issues with his wife, Jane Goldman, and three children, who also include Harvey and Honey.
He said: “Even if my wife tells me something’s wrong in her day, I have to try and remind myself that sometimes I just need to listen.
“Because as soon as she tells me something, I go ‘Well, I’ll phone this guy and I’ll do this’ and she goes ‘Okay, I don’t… I’m not interested, I just wanted to tell you I had this bad day.’
“And I go ‘Well who did that and why…’ and sometimes we don’t communicate (properly)…because my immediate instinct, and I think this is common to a lot of people, men in particular, is if there’s a problem, fix it.
“Not – there’s a problem, share it because I don’t really want to be in an unhappy place ever.
“So I really struggle and I have to remind myself that sometimes what she needs in a partner is someone to listen and share it so it’s a learning thing.”
Ross added: “And I’m still a very young man, so I’ve got plenty of time to master it!”
Loose Women airs weekdays from 12:30pm on ITV1 & ITVX