Coronavirus: Former GMTV host Fiona Phillips shares details of symptoms

Earlier this week Phillips became the latest celebrity to announce she had contracted coronavirus

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Broadcaster Fiona Phillips has said having coronavirus brought a “body-sized cloak of sweat”, after contracting the illness last week.

Ms Phillips, 59, said the novel virus was an “unwelcome bed partner” that gave her an agonising “scratch gut pain”, a dry cough as well as aches and pains.

Writing in a column for the Daily Mirror, the presenter, who is best known for her stint on GMTV, said the illness kept her up all night.

She wrote: “[Coronavirus came] bearing gifts such as a fiery sore throat, high temperature/fever, shortness of breath, annoying dry cough, aches, pains, lethargy and a whole-body-sized cloak of sweat – nice – I’ll be doing my best to make sure [COVID-19] doesn’t stay too long either.”

“The first sign of the nasty bug’s generosity was about a week ago, in the form of a horrible, sort of scratchy gut pain that made me feel full, from my throat, right down through my whole digestive system.

“It kept me awake all night – it was as if a witch had shoved her twiggy broom up into my alimentary canal and on into my throat, left it there and had then intermittently twisted it.”

Earlier this week, Ms Phillips became the latest in a string of celebrities to announce they had contracted the illness.

“I am in bed with #coronvirusuk,” she tweeted. “It’s not a very pleasant bedfellow, but nothing more than sore throat, dry cough, headache & tiredness. As long as it stays that way....DON’T panic!”

Eamonn Holmes, Phillips’s former GMTV co-host, wished her a speedy recovery. “Get well soon Miss Fyona [sic],” he said. “Keep us posted x”.

British singer Sam Smith, 27, also took to social media earlier this month to share their battle with the novel infection.

London-born actor Idris Elba also confirmed he had been struck down by Covid-19.

The Wire and Luther star released a video announcing his diagnosis, adding that he was among those most at risk due to suffering from asthma.

Elba, 47, credited fellow actor Tom Hanks for inspiring him to go public with his diagnosis. “I’m really proud of Tom Hanks who is also someone in the public eye who came out and said they have it and has been public about it,” he said.

“I was really motivated by Tom’s move there.” Hanks had previously announced he and his wife Rita Wilson had contracted Covid-19.