Jump directly to the content

LADY Anita Dobson says she is “completely confident” her Queen legend husband Sir Brian May will fully recover from his stroke.

The former EastEnders actress, 75, said the guitarist, 77, is in good spirits but has been told to rest up.

a man with white hair is playing a guitar on a stage
7
Sir Brian May suffered a minor strokeCredit: Getty
a man and woman are posing for a picture on a red carpet
7
His wife Lady Anita Dobson revealed he is on the road to making a full recoveryCredit: Reuters
freddie mercury and queen playing guitars on stage
7
She added that he's taking things slowlyCredit: Redferns

Sir Brian revealed earlier this month that he had suffered a stroke which left him unable to use his left arm - however he can still play the guitar.

Speaking about Sir Brian’s stroke for the first time at the This Is Icon awards in London on Friday, Lady Anita told The Sun: “He’s been told to rest. It’s hard to keep him resting, but I think he needs to otherwise he won’t get well.

“He’s doing great - he’s on the road, he’s doing really, really well.

“We’re very pleased.

read more Sir Brian May

“I’m completely confident that he’ll make a full recovery.

“But, you know, you have to take things slowly, just chill a bit.

“He’s not that kind of animal!”

Referring to Sir Brian’s light-hearted comment saying his blue-lighted ambulance trip was “very exciting”, Lady Anita added: “It’s good to keep a sense of humour, isn’t it, in these cases, difficult though it may be.”

The Queen guitarist has praised staff there for giving him the "most fantastic care".

Describing his recovery, Brian said he is essentially "grounded" because doctors have told him not to do anything that could raise his heart rate too much.

Queen guitarist Brian May knighted by King Charles at Buckingham Palace

He continued: “I didn’t want to say anything at the time because I didn’t want anything surrounding, you know. I really don’t want sympathy, please don’t do that because it will clutter up my inbox.

“But the good news is I’m ok and doing what I’m told which is basically nothing, I’m grounded.

"I’m not allowed to go out, drive, get on a plane, I’m not allowed to raise the heart rate too high. But I am good.”

This is not the first health scare the glam rock guitarist has suffered, having survived a heart attack in 2020.

He had been recuperating from a torn muscle and trapped nerve as a result of a gardening injury when he experienced a sudden onset of chest pains.

Brian went on to reveal that doctors discovered he had three arteries congested and he was in danger of blocking the supply of blood to his heart. 

Doctors suggested that he undergo open heart surgery, but Brian opted for the alternative which was to have three stents put inside his heart.

brian may and his wife pose for a photo at the olivier awards 2011
7
A doting Anita said her husband still has his sense of humour despite the difficult timesCredit: Rex
a man in a black jacket is playing a guitar
7
He praised the hospital staff for their care
a man with curly hair is wearing a black suit
7
The rock star survived a heart attack in 2020Credit: Polaris
a man wearing a yellow shirt that says ' queen ' on it
7
He refused to undergo open heart surgeryCredit: Getty
Topics