Andrew Marr sparked concerns about his health after he began struggling for breath while live on the radio last night due to a stinking cold.
The former BBC political editor, 66, has been inundated with goodwill messages over an incident while he was presenting his LBC politics show at around 6.30pm yesterday evening.
Listeners feared he was struggling to breathe when he began to gasp during a link after the news.
But a source has said Mr Marr is fine and that the incident was caused by a heavy cold.
Andrew finished the show and will be back on air on Monday, the insider said to reassure his listeners.
In the concerning 90 second clip, shared widely on social media, Mr Marr is heard faltering while talking about podcasts made by LBC’s owner, Global.
Mr Marr continued to speak quickly about a feature on the ‘hell’ of living in prisons in Alabama – but increasingly struggled to finish each sentence and was breathing heavily.
Despite this, Mr Marr was able to continue and finished the show, which is not yet available on LBC’s catch-up service, Global Player.
Listeners reacted with concern on social media while listening live.
One fan said: ‘I hope Andrew Marr is ok? Currently broadcasting recorded piece’.
‘Andrew Marr doesn’t sound well’, another listener said.
A third person who tuned in live said: ‘Is Andrew Marr ok?’.
A fourth person said: ‘I was listening live, it was really horrible to hear, but thankfully he seemed okay afterwards’.
A further LBC listener said he was not a fan of Mr Marr but added: ‘This is heartbreaking, I really hope he’s OK’.
The Daily Mail has asked Mr Marr and LBC to comment.
Andrew was struggling for breath with around 30 minutes left of his show.
‘Now, something momentous I need to take the time to tell you about – the winners of the Global Player Awards 2025 have been announced, and I’m speaking as the only white man, I think, in the south of England without my own podcast’, he said.
Mr Marr spoke about prisons in America but was audibly struggling.
‘Well, if at this point you’re looking for something to cheer you up, can I suggest that you reflect that at least you’re not in in Alabama’, he said.
His gasping appeared to get worse – but he was able to continue.
In 2013, Marr suffered a stroke while working out on his rowing machine.
His family was told he was going to die, but after two months in hospital and extensive physiotherapy, he recovered enough to return to work.
It left him partially paralysed on his left side and he admitted in 2023 that he can no longer tie his laces, cycle, run or swim.
The presenter had previously suffered two ‘mini strokes’ – known as transient ischaemic attacks – which he had dismissed at the time as ‘funny turns’.
In 2018, Marr had to have surgery to remove a cancerous tumour on his kidney.
He again took time off presenting his BBC show, but has not spoken publicly about his treatment.
In 2021 he left the BBC after 21 years to join LBC and Classic FM.
The broadcaster said he was ‘keen to get my own voice back’ and would now focus on presenting political and cultural radio shows and writing for newspapers.
He now presents Tonight With Andrew Marr – LBC’s flagship politics show – and said moving from the Beeb would give him ‘a new freedom’ to do journalism with ‘no filter’.
Father-of-three Marr, who is married to fellow political journalist Jackie Ashley, had earned up to £339,999 a year at the BBC.
It is understood he is paid at least £500,000 a year at his new broadcasting home.
