The One Show star Alex Jones has opened up about her husband Charlie Thomson’s devastating health ordeal, revealing for the first time the depth of his struggle and how it shook their family to the core.
Speaking candidly on Gabby Logan’s The MidPoint podcast, the beloved presenter shared that Charlie had endured a traumatic combination of Lyme disease and viral meningitis, which sent him spiralling into a period of severe mental and physical decline throughout 2023.
“He just wasn’t himself,” Alex said, describing her husband as “a shadow of himself” at the time. The couple, who married in 2015 and have three young children, faced months of uncertainty and heartbreak as Charlie’s condition worsened.
Alex confessed: “He went downhill fast mentally. It’s his story to tell, so I won’t go into too much detail… but it was one of the hardest times we’ve faced.” She explained that during this low point, Charlie turned to nutrition and cooking — once again embracing his background as a chef — as a form of healing.
“He wasn’t well, but he used that time to rebuild himself,” Alex explained. “He really got into food, nutrition, and how he could support his own recovery. That gave him a sense of control and purpose.”
Now, she says Charlie is thankfully “in a much better place,” thanks to a combination of medical treatment, lifestyle changes, and emotional resilience. The family has become more mindful of their health, and Charlie now takes pride in preparing healthy, colourful meals for the household.
“He makes all the kids’ meals — pulses, greens, variety — we’re big on the rainbow diet now,” she added with a smile.
While Charlie’s journey has been kept mostly private, Alex’s heartfelt words gave listeners a glimpse into the deeply personal battle their family faced — and the strength it took to come through it together.
