After being taken in the hospital and having more heart scans before embarking on a tour, singer Max George has revealed his recent health issues to The Mirror.
Max George’s recent hospital admission has been described as “scary.” The singer, who became famous as the other half of The Wanted, recently went to the hospital to undergo MRI scans just days before his scheduled tour date.
The 36-year-old from Swinton, Greater Manchester, has been open about his health concerns in recent years after having surgery to install a pacemaker due to heart problems almost a year ago.
Speaking to the Mirror from Manchester, where he joined Guides and Rangers ahead of the Big Gig Performance at OVO Arena Wembley, Max said: “I had an arrhythmia – the top half of my heart was doing 50, which it should, and the bottom was 160, it was out of sync.
“It was scary, but I’m still alright now. I needed medication to maintain my balance, and I’m taking it right now. An abnormal rhythm causes the heart to beat too quickly or slowly due to a signal disruption.
But Max, a singer from Barcelona, has to make changes in his lifestyle. He continued, “Getting used to life that is a little different. I have to be careful not to do too much because I rely on my pacemaker for things like exercise.
“I have to avoid doing things that I enjoy doing, like playing football or skiing, which is difficult.” While Max, who currently plays for The Wanted 2.0 with bandmate Siva Kaneswaran, acknowledges that despite playing football his entire life, it was “one of those things.”
You have to get started with it, he said, “It is what it is.” He first described his heart issues last year, just days after returning home from America, as “it was crazy. It literally appeared out of nowhere. Everything was fine, and it just happened at home as I recently went on this tour in America. I was quickly at home with a pacemaker after being horrified by it. To be honest, you don’t really have time to think about it.
The news came as a huge setback for the singer, famed for hits including Walks Like Rihanna and Gold Forever, with Max left itching to get back on stage as soon as possible. “All I wanted to do was get back to work,” he said. But while Max thought he was on the road to recovery, he was dealt another blow.
The singer revealed: “I had a setback as I had to have the operation done again. It took six or seven months to heal and get used to it, but I’m not too bad now. It happened before Christmas last year, so hopefully this one there will be a little less drama!”
But how will he spend this Christmas, away from the hospital? He and his girlfriend, former EastEnders star Maisie Smith, will be heading abroad together. Opening up about their upcoming getaway, Max commented: “I’m going away for Christmas this year because Maisie’s been working for nine months on tour, and I’ve been touring, so we haven’t seen each other.”
He’ll be going skiing in Switzerland this year instead of going to the hospital. Max laughed, “No blacks or red runs.” He continued, “We have months away at a time, so when we do see each other, we want to make the absolute most of it.” We’ll probably go away again in April because we essentially only communicate abroad. It’s three times the length of a holiday romance.
The singer praised his girlfriend for both her stubbornness and her bravery as well, and he did not hold back. The singer gushed, “Maisie’s got a very strong mindset,” while reiterating Maisie’s way of life and incorporating the Girlguiding’s plan to show Girls Can Do Anything. She is very resolute, but I believe that’s a good thing. She is fantastic.
The accomplishments she made are comparable to Celebrity SAS. Speaking with other people, including my bandmate Siva, who said it was the most difficult thing he’d ever done his life, I’ve learned. Maisie said to his girlfriend, “He added, and it was difficult, but fun. He won.” She enjoys working out in the gym and is very adventurous. I’m still ahead of her in tennis, so I’ve got that one. She’s good at everything.
She’s currently appearing in “The Talented Mr Ripley,” and I watched it last night and was awestruck. She is incredible at acting. She has a lot of talent. World Mental Health Day falls on October 10, 2026, which is the start of Girlguiding’s Big Gig in the following year. a subject that is dear to Max’s heart.
But how does a member of one of the biggest boy bands in the UK maintain a healthy mind? He said, “I make an effort to keep myself busy.” Max also enjoys spending quality time with his beloved British bulldog, Albert, who he frequently shares photos with on social media. He said, “I spend days taking my British bulldog Albert out and finding a new trail to do” if I have days where I’m not doing anything.
I mix up what I do, especially during the last year, when I spent a lot of time relaxing and doing nothing. I only had the option of walking, so I’ve done a lot of it with my dog.
“Albert loves using my pacemaker very much. Instead of staying inside, I enjoy going outside and taking in some fresh air. He also enjoys it. When you look at his little face, you can tell he’s so excited to leave. Max admits that the focus of his own Girlguiding badge would be happiness-focused.
The “Everyone’s Got To Smile All Day badge” was added by him. You are not permitted to frown, and you are not permitted to wear the badge if you are caught not smiling. And the front would be greeted with a large smiley face. This week, the musicians stopped by Guides and Rangers from Burnage to meet them for their weekly evening meeting while the teenagers were attempting to earn their Music and Fandom Interest badges.
After meeting Max at the meeting, Guide Nakia, 14, was completely blown away. She continued, “I really enjoyed meeting Max because I am a big fan of him. He treated everyone so nicely. I’m now desperate to purchase a Big Gig ticket because of the surprise. Girlguiding’s gift of these kinds of adventures is extremely kind to us.
Max mentioned surprising the attendees at the meeting by saying, “It was so nice to meet the attendees and receive my Music badge from them. They gave me adorable bracelets and earrings.
Siva and I are looking forward to playing at Big Gig once more. We’ll make the show as upbeat as possible to create a party atmosphere because I have vivid memories of the last time the crowd was extremely loud.
On December 9, 2025, Girlguiding members will be able to purchase tickets for the Big Gig. Their website has more details than one.
Source: Mirror
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