Rio Ferdinand ‘thought the lights were out’ in new health update after missing TNT Sports punditry duties

The TNT Sports pundit is recovering in hospital and will miss Manchester United’s second leg with Athletic Bilbao

Rio Ferdinand has opened up on his recent illness after missing TNT Sport’s Champions League and Europa League coverage last week and admits he “thought the lights were out” at one point.

The former United defender was unable to work as a pundit on Arsenal’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night, and could not return on Thursday for Manchester United’s Europa League semi-final win over Athletic Bilbao.

And now Ferdinand has revealed his ordeal, with a number of concerning symptoms in what he describes as a “crazy” experience.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents, he said: "I had a mad virus. I thought the lights were out at some point, I thought it was gonna happen. I thought I was minutes away from lights out, seriously. I was in my house, I was in my bed like this [pained expression] and I couldn't even open my eyes.

"Then, the headache I had… I don't get migraines or nothing else so I don't know what they're like. I thought my head was in a vice and my eyes were going to pop out.

"Then, I was being sick, projectile vomiting in the toilet, I got back to bed and I was having vertigo. I was holding onto the sheets, I didn't know where I was. It was crazy.

"I had to go to hospital and the doctor even said to me, ‘Do you want an ambulance?’ So that's when I knew. He went, 'We're going to get your brain scanned'. I thought it was a virus or a flu or something so when he mentioned brain scan and the ambulance, the panic was nuts.

"I went to hospital and I was in there for a few days. I couldn't even enjoy the hospital food. The soup and the ice cream normally does wonders."

(@rioferdy5)

Ferdinand initially revealed how he was “gutted” to miss the European semi-final coverage, adding that he was “watching every minute from the iPad.”

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

The official TNT Sports account replied to Ferdinand: “Get well soon, Rio.”

The PA news agency reported Ferdinand was hospitalised by a sickness bug, which also affected other members of Ferdinand's family.

Ferdinand’s commentary of Manchester United’s dramatic victory against Lyon in the Europa League quarter-finals went viral as his former team staged a comeback in extra time.