SHOCK: Corrie star Malcolm Hebden health: ‘I was dying’
CORONATION STREET favourite Malcolm Hebden who has played Norris Cole for 27 years has left fans heartbroken after he confirmed the death of the fictional character. The death of Norris however is due to the real-life health reasons of actor Malcolm - what are they?
The episodes containing Norris’ death from a stroke will air as part of a double bill starting on Wednesday September 15. The actor’s last appearance in the ITV soap was in 2020 during an episode to celebrate VE Day. But since then the actor has taken the brave decision to retire from acting completely.
The 84-year-old took the decision to retire after he suffered a near-fatal heart attack. Back in 2017 the actor suffered a “silent heart attack” which came with no warning signs.
The condition was so bad that it left a hole in the left ventricle of his heart and his chances of survival remained slim. After an emergency operation the actor was put into an induced coma for three weeks.
Talking about the ordeal Malcolm told the Blackpool Gazette: “Most of December I was in an induced coma, in the care of these brilliant, wonderful people at the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU).
“Fortunately I didn’t realise how bad it was; I was dying.
Malcolm Hebden: The actor has played Norris Cole for 27 years (Image: Getty)
“The cardiac team, headed by Mr Zacharias, simply saved my life.”
The actor who won Funniest Character at the Inside Soap Awards in both 2001 and 2002 had his heart “wallpapered” by medics in order to salvage the damage that the heart attack had caused. Amazingly, the team did this by taking tissue from a cow.
After experiencing initial symptoms, Malcolm dismissed them as an innocent chest infection, but after he got his heart monitored by his GP, the seriousness of the condition was revealed.
Whilst at the GP surgery an ambulance was called and it turned out that the actor was suffering from a heart attack. Due to the severity of the condition doctors were faced with, the surgeon has to perform a risky and “groundbreaking” procedure.
