RTE star Tommy Tiernan has admitted that his wife “absolutely hates” the side effects of his “rare” health condition.
The Irish comedian appeared on Celebrity Bake Off last night to show support and help raise funds for Stand Up To Cancer.
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Tommy was joined on the show by comedian Adam Buxton, actress Meera Syal and singer Self Esteem, who were all hoping to impress with their baking skills.
Before the episode aired, the 55-year-old opened up about his own health issues during a chat with TV host Miriam O’Callaghan.
In 2023, Tommy revealed that he was diagnosed with sleep apnea after he spent a night in hospital to get checked out.
Speaking on her Sunday with Miriam podcast, the presenter revealed that his condition brings some tough side effects that his wife Yvonne has to deal with.
Tommy explained: “I’m on a fairly active elastic band of tension and release all day and for most of the night. I take statins because my heart, it’s a genetic condition that the Tiernans have.”
He then joked: “Our hearts are full of so much love that it’s impossible to pump it all out so the arteries aren’t big enough for the love that be in us.
“So I have to take statins to widen the arteries so they make my legs, I have that jumpy leg thing, so I thrash in bed and I snore quite profoundly.”
The actor was asked how Yvonne feels about his restless legs, and he admitted she “absolutely hates it”.
And although he joked about the challenges Yvonne faces with his symptoms, Tommy didn’t hesitate to express how much he loves her.
He told Miriam: “When I met her, it was like being on ecstasy or something, I’ve never felt so upside down, so loved, and high, I fell tremendously catastrophically, dangerously in love.
“When I met her, it was like a chakra opened that I wasn’t able to control.”
Tommy also told how he enjoys meditation and practices it every morning.
He said: “It’s a marvellous technique. I find it magnificent i love the rituals of Zen Buddhism, the bowing and the bells, you surrender to it, and the ritual holds you.
“I’m not into mindfulness, it feels a bit transient, but the meditation connected to Buddhism is thousands of years old, so I feel held, I feel wise people than me have passed through it and have left advice, I feel minded by that.”
The icon Irish comedian recently joined host Patrick Kielty in the hot seat on The Late Late Show to chat all things touring, confidence and Billy Connolly.
Tommy opened up about his grapple with confidence when it comes to performing new material to an audience and insisted that it leaves him both “inspired and completely broken”.
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However, he promised viewers: “If ever you come to see a show, I promise to give it everything I’ve got.
“And I might walk off afterwards and vomit… of shame and ask to get a nun. But I will try and I’m committed to the art form.”
The 55-year-old revealed how he often “channels” his comedian hero, Billy Connolly before shows.
The Donegal native said: “Sometimes I just pretend, or sometimes I just say, ‘Why don’t you just be inspired by Billy tonight?’
“So I call his ghost, even though he’s alive and it inhabits me.”
Kielty cut across and highlighted how Billy had previously stated in an interview that Tommy was “one of his top three favourite comedians of all time”.
When asked how he felt about Billy’s comment, Tommy teared up and responded: “Now, when you say it there, it makes me feel a bit… well not emotional, but you take it on board.
“Well I always feel when people say stuff like that they are not well.”