Christopher Maloney said he "nearly died" after eating a dodgy Chinese takeaway.
The 45-year-old Scouser shot to stardom in 2012 on the ninth season of X Factor. Christopher was a hit with viewers as he finished in third place on the singing competition.
The Celebrity Big Brother star enjoyed a successful career in pantomime after his stint on the ITV contest. However, he told the ECHO how he has been forced to take a break from the spotlight since he became seriously ill in December 2019.
READ MORE: Look inside: Christopher Maloney opens the door to his Liverpool home
Christopher was performing as Prince Charming in Cinderella at the Bradford Playhouse when the ordeal first began. It was the Kirkdale singer's 42nd birthday and he opted to enjoy a quiet night in his hotel with a Chinese takeaway rather than go out on the town with the cast.
However, he branded the decision to order crispy duck pancakes as a "big mistake" after he became violently ill following the meal. He told the ECHO: "The food was contaminated with Campylobacter E-Coli, the worst food poisoning you could contract from poultry, it can kill, and it nearly did." He added: "There are just no words to explain the pain of Campylobacter E-Coli."
Christopher knew he required medical attention but powered through with the remaining performances on the run as he didn't want to let fans down. He said: "Over that time I could only manage to eat one slice of pineapple and two small sips of water over two weeks.
"On New Year's Eve 2019 I had a sell out show in Manchester, I couldn't cancel at last minute and let people down, so I went ahead with the show, explaining to the crowd I was feeling unwell and did my performance sitting on a stool which I have never done. The crowd still loved it, but I knew something was seriously wrong."
The illness eventually took its toll when Christopher visited his mum's home in Liverpool after the show. He said: "I collapsed on the pavement outside her house. My mum called an ambulance and I was rushed to Aintree hospital, where I spent 2 weeks in ICU and a further 2 weeks in a side room undergoing every tests, scans, ultrasounds, x-rays, you name it I had it.
"I deteriorated that much the senior doctors wanted to remove my colon." Christopher said the illness has had a life-changing effect as he continues to battle a number of underlying health issues, including ulcerated colitis, arthritis and digestive problems.
Christopher was on the road to recovery and was planning his return to the spotlight when the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK. He said: "2020 would have been my biggest year for shows, tours and TV, everything was cancelled, it was heartbreaking."
However, Christopher is now relieved he was forced to have a break as this has now allowed him to properly recover. He also said the break has enabled him to grieve the death of his nan, who died in 2019. He said: "I had to take time out as I've been absolutely shattered."
It has been just over 10 years since Christopher first arrived on our screens and he is now looking forward to mark his special milestone with a long-awaited return to the stage. Christopher is set for a busy year as he aims to bounce back from his ordeal with "An Evening With" tour, which kicked off in Europe last month.
He is also performing as Captain Hook at the Stourbridge Town Hall before he joins the adaptation of Beauty and the Beast as the Prince from April 2023 at the Bindley Theatre in Runcorn. He said: "I'm now back to what I love...performing. I've missed it so much."
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