Eamonn Holmes has told how he 'desperately wants to get his life back' amid his health battle.
The North Belfast man underwent an operation on his back earlier this month and has been battling chronic pain for 18 months.
He does not yet know if his operation, which had a '20% risk of going wrong', has been a success.
Read more: 'I want my life back': Eamonn Holmes gives update on back surgery
In his column for the Express, Eamonn said: "I’d just like to say thank you to everybody who has taken the time to get in touch. It means a lot to me. In fact, it’s better than medicine at times!
"I wish I could tell you that I am up, about and back on top of the world.
"But in reality, it is too soon to say whether the operation has been a success or not.
"My surgeon says I will need to give it at least three weeks before it’s possible to say if it’s had the impact we are hoping for."
The 62-year-old added: "Over the weekend I underwent some physio, which I will have more of everyday this week, and I am hoping this will help things to go in the right direction.
"I’ve been told I need to take at least another week off work and although I am going to be following orders, I am really missing my job and my colleagues on GB News, not least my wonderful co-presenter Isabel Webster.
"I need to say a big thank you to Isabel. She’s often described as my 'TV-wife'..."
Also in his column, Eamonn said he was told the operation 'was not a good idea' on several occasions by surgeons.
He said: "I’ve been living with this injury for 18 months and on several occasions, surgeons have said to me that operating was not a good idea.
"They’ve warned me that there was a 20 percent risk of things going wrong and that a better plan was to let it heal itself.
"But I knew by then it just wasn’t healing itself. I desperately just want to get my life back and to be able to live without chronic pain..."
Eamonn added: "There are so many people who suffer from chronic pain and too many of them suffer in silence. This can have a knock-on impact on mental wellbeing too and given this week marks World Mental Health Day, we really need to be aware of this.
"That's why, whatever happens with my condition over the next few weeks, one thing is for sure: I will continue to speak up for them and try to give pain a voice."
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