Jeremy Paxman health and illness update: Is his retirement due to Parkinson’s disease?
Due to health concerns, English broadcaster and TV host Jeremy Paxman has announced his departure as host of the BBC’s University Challenge programme.
Since learning he had Parkinson’s disease last year, the journalist has been very candid about his condition and his battle with the disease. As the symptoms of the disease worsened, Jeremy made the decision to focus on his health and quit being a broadcaster before things got worse for the presenter.
Jeremy Paxman Health and Illness Update: Does He Have Parkinson’s?
Jeremy Paxman has made the decision to quit his job as host of the BBC University Challenge quiz show because his symptoms of Parkinson’s disease had worsened.
In 2021, after taking a fall while walking his dog outside, the broadcaster revealed to everyone that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Since he didn’t even have the most basic medical symptoms, he was shocked to learn of his illness.
Paxman told his audience that his Parkinson’s symptoms were minor and had no impact on his daily activities. But by the age of 72, his problems had worsened, forcing him to leave the show as a veteran quiz master.
Parkinson’s disease is an incurable disease that affects the brain and causes involuntary or uncontrollable movements, including rigidity, tremors and difficulty coordinating movements.
The condition includes over 40 symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose in the early stages and only getting worse over time.
Jeremy Paxman is therefore currently undergoing therapy for his illness. However, since the disease is incurable, drugs can only stop the progression of the disease and help with motor skills.
Presenter for BBC Jeremy Paxman
Since Jeremy Paxman appears frequently on the BBC, his name is well known in the television world. The journalist is best known for his 28 years of service as a University Challenge quiz master.
His performance was more menacing and entirely informational, unlike previous performances which were primarily aimed at amuse the audience and attendees. Paxman held the record for anchoring a program on the network for the longest time, 28 years after the BBC brought the program back from the 1960s in 1994.
The quizmaster said he will be leaving the program in the fall but will continue to host his final series until summer 2023.
The University Challenge host did his best to continue hosting the program for as long as he could, but when his health deteriorated he made the decision to step down at age 72.
Who will succeed Jeremy Paxman at the BBC?
Although Jeremy Paxman’s replacement as University Challenge quiz master has not been publicly revealed by the BBC, people have been making wild guesses.
Due to her previous work as a Question Time presenter and her background as a journalist, most people expect longtime presenter Fiona Bruce to serve as the new quiz master. Fans think a senior presenter would make the best replacement for Jeremy Paxman, as the show has always had a serious vibe.
However, other contestants, including Richard Ayoade and Dara O Briain, are said to be on the run, which has somewhat divided their audience. However, the network has not made any information public, but it is clear that they will only select the best to replace the best.