Popular radio host Carrie Bickmore has been forced off-air indefinitely after suffering yet another health setback. Several weeks ago, Bickmore sustained a nasty gash to her forehead that resembled Harry Potter’s scar after accidentally walking into a wall a day before jetting overseas for a holiday. On Monday, the typically bubbly presenter appeared on Hit Network’s Carrie and Tommy show to regrettably inform fans that a persistent vocal issue would force her off-air for the foreseeable future. The announcement came after she sat out last week’s shows due to illness.
“I am back! But this is like a ‘one night only’ special, I’m only back for today,” she told listeners, alongside co-host Tommy Little. “My voice hasn’t been right for some time. I went to the ENT (doctor) this morning and it’s in a very bad way . . . as you can hear! Things are not good, so I’m going to have to take some time off work to get it fixed. If I don’t get it fixed now, they (vocal cords) will be permanently damaged, which will be very unfortunate for my job . . .”
Little empathised with his pal and co-host, saying: “We need you at full strength, Bickers, you’ll be right.” Visibly emotional, Bickmore said she felt she had let down her colleagues, as well as listeners. “It’s making me upset. I’ll be fine, sorry . . . I don’t know why it’s making me so upset. I just don’t like letting people down and I don’t like letting myself down,” she added. “I also really love my job and don’t want to be forced not to ever do it again! I’m taking a little bit of time off to get it fixed. I’m hoping that if I get onto it now, it will be a non-permanent thing.”
Sharing the announcement on social media afterwards, the Perth-raised talent said she would be “off air for a few weeks while I get my damn voice sorted”. Bickmore’s more visually concerning health concern began prior to a family holiday to Sri Lanka in April, with the mother-of-three unveiling a recovery progress shot of her facial injury on Sunday. “And for those invested . . . head healing nicely,” she captioned an Instagram story post. Bickmore had concealed the cut and bandaging for much of her trip, only revealing its severity upon returning home.
“Walked into the corner of the wall over the break. Looked like a crime scene. Blood spurting from my head. Got it glued back together so I could go on holiday with my family the next day,” she explained. “Turns out I have hit a nerve. Healing terribly. And hurting.”
