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Andrew Marr back on air and blames newspaper exercise advice for stroke

Broadcaster Andrew Marr appeared back on TV for the first time yesterday since suffering a stroke in January.

Appearing as a guest on his own show, BBC Two’s Andrew Marr Show, he told stand-in presenter Sophie Raworth that he feels "lucky to be alive". 

The journalist and TV presenter was reported to have been rushed to hospital on 8 January following a stroke.

Talking on his show, he explained to Raworth that his stroke was brought about by a combination of overwork and an intense session on a rowing machine.

He said: "I did the terrible thing of believing what I read in newspapers, because the newspapers were saying what we should all do is take very intensive exercise in short bursts.

He added: "Beware rowing machines – or at least beware being too enthusiastic on rowing machines."

Marr is currently undergoing a period of intensive physiotherapy, and said he plans to return to work in the future.

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Marr is a former editor of The Independent and was political editor of the BBC from 2000 to 2005.

In 2010 he was voted top political reporter in the UK following a survey of Press Gazette readers and the general public.

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