Strictly Ballroom star Paul Mercurio reveals serious health condition
Aussie actor Paul Mercurio has opened up about his “wake up call” after being taken to hospital and spending time in the critical care unit for a heart issue.
In March 2022, the Strictly Ballroom actor and former Dancing with the Stars judge turned Victorian Labor MP was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular and often rapid heartbeat.
The 59-year-old said the condition had since worsened and he had suffered seven attacks this year alone with four being in the more recent months.
On Monday December 13, Mercurio was taken to cardiac critical care unit in Melbourne and underwent ablation to try and bring his heart rate back to normal. He was cleared to go home the following day.
“When you go into atrial fibrillation there’s an electronic signal from somewhere else in your heart that decides: ‘Hey, I want to have a party,’ and they take over and your heart can beat up to 150/200bpm, or it just goes out.
“I realised it has been happening to me for quite a long time over my life. I just didn’t know what it was.
“But I’ve got to say, since I had COVID a couple of years ago it’s gotten worse ... and this year I’ve had about seven attacks. It doesn’t make you feel real good.”
He said he was going to have ablation in 2023, but changed his mind during a dinner with his wife for their 35th wedding anniversary. He decided to do the operation earlier.
“That night I went into a-fib again. For no reason whatsoever, and I guess there was that point where I thought: ‘There is no way I can control this. It’s not going to be alright’,” Mercurio said.
Last month Mercurio ran as the Labor candidate for the Mornington Peninsula seat of Hastings and won. He believes the stressful campaign as well as recently having COVID-19 exacerbated the heart condition and also admitted he needs to stop “pushing it”.
Image: 7 News