Queen guitarist Brian May has reflected on his stroke in 2024, describing it as a “wake-up call”.
In September 2024, May took to social media to share news of his health struggles with fans, which he called a “little health hiccup” that had left him temporarily unable to play the guitar.
May was placed under strict orders by medical staff, which aided his recovery. The guitarist has since returned to the stage, most recently performing as a special guest with American pop star Benson Boone at London’s O2 Arena. The pair previously joined forces at Coachella.
Now, during an interview on Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Weekend on ITV, May said of his health problems in recent years after the host brought up his stroke, “I’ve had a number of things, Alan, yeah, the stroke was one of them.”
The Queen founder continued, “I’ve been lucky, I get these things, but I seem to be able to get out of them. They give you a wake-up call.”
In February, May admitted that it crossed his mind that he’d never play the guitar again following the stroke, sharing, “It went through my mind. When I suddenly couldn’t control this left arm, it was quite scary. I had no idea what was going on.”
Upon revealing news of his stroke, May detailed the incident, explaining, “All of a sudden, out of the blue, I didn’t have any control over this arm, so it was a little scary. I had the most fantastic care and attention from Frimley Hospital; blue lights flashing the lot, very exciting.”
According to the NHS, the symptoms of a minor stroke, also known as a transient ischaemic attack, may “resolve in a few minutes or hours, you’ll need treatment to help prevent another TIA or a full stroke happening in the future.”
While Queen don’t have any dates in their calendar, May let slip in September that they are currently locked in talks regarding playing The Sphere in Vegas, stating, “I’m very keen on the Sphere. It’s got my mind working.”
