Wayne Lineker shares first update after being rushed into intensive care

"The last 16 days have been the most traumatic of my life."

The O Beach owner, who is 63, confessed that he is fighting against pneumonia and is unable to walk.

He shared the news on Instagram, explaining that he initially thought he had covid before thinking it could've been a heart attack.

Doctors later discovered he had pneumonia and will require months of rehabilitiation and psyiotherapy as he is currently unable to walk.

Lineker says he believes he's on the road to recovery.

Wayne wrote: "Hello, my beautiful friends… I did not want to announce this because I know how much love I would receive and I always feel extremely guilty not being able to reply to everyone.

"So two weeks ago I caught a flight from Mauritius to Dubai as I needed to be there for the one year anniversary party. While I was on that flight, I believe I caught a very bad infection.

"What I thought at the time was Covid, it completely knocked me out and I just wanted to get home. I flew home on the Friday and went straight home and rested. 3am in the morning i woke from my bed and could not walk at that time.

"I thought I was having a heart attack so called my daughter Tia and she was in great despair and called her mum who came round to my house and me in an ambulance to the hospital where I was diagnosed with chronic pneumonia and admitted to intensive care where I spent 10 days.

"'Now have been moved to a respiratory ward it's only now that I feel confident enough in my recovery that I can let everyone know I have been speaking and having visits from my family and close friends."

He added: "I am still in hospital but out of the danger zone and intensive care. I still cannot walk at all and have around two months rehabilitation and physio ahead of me."

Now Lineker has shared his first update since being rushed to hospital.

In it, he wrote: "I wanted to share a pneumonia update. The last 16 days have been the most traumatic of my life. A truly near death experience. I honestly don't think I would have been medically strong enough to survive if I wasn't four months sober.

"To the incredible NHS staff who cared for me: thank you. Those two words don't feel enough but I mean them with all my heart.

"Next season, I'll be doing something special for NHS hospital workers across the UK to show my gratitude for saving my life."