BBC presenter Kirsty Young has come out of retirement to honour the Queen at her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Kirsty is hosting the BBC ’s coverage of the once-in-a-lifetime occasion.
It is the first time the star has worked since taking a break in 2018 after dealing with ‘severe and relentless’ pain due to her rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.
Describing the pain she was experiencing, she said it became so bad that she couldn’t even lift a water bottle.
In 2018, she was eventually diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis which happened to trigger her secondary condition, fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia means your pain threshold doesn't work in the way it should, so even the tiniest knock can result in agony.
Her conditions meant that she needed to take a break away from the career she worked so hard to forge - but now she has made a welcome return.
Discussing leaving the radio show Desert Island Discs, Kirsty said 'it was hard to walk away but it was clearly the only option’ due to her struggles.
She said hosting the iconic show was the ‘most interesting job I’ve ever had.’
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Describing the ultimatum her doctor gave her after her diagnosis in The Times, she said: "[He said] 'There’s light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s a long tunnel. I can’t cure you, but I can treat you. It’s a managed condition.'
"But there was a catch. 'Are you able to scale your work back for a while, work part-time?”'he asked.
"I said, 'I’m not. With my job, you’re either in or you’re out.'
"He told me: 'I can treat you with all the medications but if you don’t have deep rest for a significant amount of time and get rid of all the potential stress factors, you may as well not do the other bit of the treatment.'
Kirsty said her step away from her busy lifestyle led to "a complete reframing of life."
She added "I’d always worked, it was central to all the things I did. My ambition totally deserted me. I started to read novels, I spent loads more time with my kids, loads more conversations, time around the kitchen table, in a beautiful garden. I reconnected with the world.”
But when the chance came up to host the Platinum Jubilee on the BBC - she decided to take it.
Describing the opportunity, she said: "It's a unique moment. We'll never see it again, certainly in our lifetimes and maybe never, so I couldn’t resist."
It's not the first time Kirsty has been trusted with royal coverage. The presenter covered Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding for the BBC, making it one of her last appearances before she stepped back from her role.
As part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, there will be four days of live broadcasts, including the lighting of beacons across Britain and the Commonwealth, a thanksgiving service at St Paul’s, a party at Buckingham Palace, interviews with some of the world’s biggest entertainers and a lot of intricate pageantries.
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