Ibiza club owner Wayne Lineker said he “came close to death twice” while suffering from pneumonia.
The O Beach Ibiza co-founder, brother of former Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker, got sober earlier this year and said he contracted the infection in Dubai after his immune system “crashed” following a stint in rehab.
He told ITV's Good Morning Britain (GMB): “I've been through a lot this year, from my journey with alcohol etc.
“And I had enough after 40 years in the industry, well, 37 years in the industry and drinking alcohol almost every day for that entire period of time.
“Let’s just say it took its toll and I just found myself in an endless cycle of not having enough energy in the morning when I woke up.”
Describing a turning point in his drinking years, he said: “My son Dwayne called me in the office one day and said… because I have two granddaughters in Ibiza that I regularly pick up from school, and he told me I went into the office and said, 'Dad, we can't let you pick up the girls from school anymore.'
Lineker was diagnosed with chronic pneumonia, an inflammation of the lungs usually caused by an infection.
Pneumonia is more common in autumn and winter, and symptoms include pain when breathing, dizziness and coughing up blood, according to the NHS website.
Lineker said: “I came close to death twice.
“I actually went to Dubai. I picked up an infection that I thought was very similar to Covid, so I was a little worried.
“I hopped on a plane, put on my mask and went home.
“And when I got home, it was about eight weeks ago, nine weeks ago.
“When I got home I felt very unwell, so my infection seemed to be getting worse.
“So I slept for a couple of hours and it was late at night because the plane didn’t land until late in the afternoon and it was about two o’clock in the morning.
“And I went to bed and my phone was on the other side of the room and I woke up two hours later and couldn’t move at all.
“I wasn’t paralyzed, but I felt pain because it hit my lower spine and back, and I managed to crawl to the phone and got out of bed.
“It was probably the worst two minutes of my life. I was in so much pain, but of course I had to call an ambulance. So I called the ambulance and I couldn't tell them where I lived.”
He added: “I called my daughter. I knew she was awake in Dubai. It was about seven in the morning. She has a son.”
“And I said I thought I was having a heart attack because it was all on this side. So I said, 'Tia, I think I'm having a heart attack.'
“Obviously she's very upset. And then she called her mum, who lives very close by, and she came at about three o'clock in the morning and called an ambulance and it was so terrible.”
Speaking about his brother Gary, he added: “He sent me messages and well wishes.”
In social media posts, Lineker said he had two “bouts” of pneumonia before being discharged from hospital on Boxing Day.
Lineker also said in a video posted on social media that he was admitted to rehab for six weeks in July after which his immune system “crashed” and he battled seven infections, including shingles.
In November he contracted a “serious infection” and was diagnosed with chronic pneumonia and spent seven weeks in hospital.
