The mother of TV presenter Richard Bacon has thanked NHS staff for saving her son’s life after he was placed in a medically-induced coma.

Bacon, 42, fell ill while flying to Britain from the US and was taken off the plane in a wheelchair before being admitted to hospital two weeks ago.

The former Blue Peter presenter is now recovering at home.

Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Christine Bacon praised staff at University Hospital Lewisham in south-east London.

Richard Bacon leaves hospitalRichard Bacon was pictured leaving Lewisham Hospital in south east London with his wife Rebecca (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

She told the newspaper: “He was incredibly poorly. We think it was double bronchitis. It’s a good job he was in this country. Had he been in LA I wouldn’t have been able to see him.

“The NHS have done a great job… He was in a coma, with loads of wires in him and we knew it was critical.

“Being a mother, you can’t imagine losing your kids. As a mother you can’t let yourself really consider that you’re going to lose him, there’s nothing worse.”

On Saturday, Mrs Bacon tweeted a touching picture of the pair together, with her arms draped over the TV presenter.

She captioned the image: “Me and my lad ⁦@richardpbacon⁩ He’s getting there.”

Bacon wore sunglasses and had a plaster on his neck.

On Thursday, he emerged from hospital accompanied by his wife Rebecca, walking with the aid of a frame.

Before leaving the ward, Bacon, father to Arthur, six, and Ivy, four, tweeted that he was “cleared for take off”, along with a picture of his hospital bed.

He added: “Gone within the hour. I don’t know whether I see this as the bed I nearly died in or the bed that saved my life.

“Either way. I won’t miss it. But I will miss the 50 staff of Lewisham Hospital who definitely saved my life. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.”

On Wednesday, the radio and TV presenter marked his last full day in hospital and, paying tribute to Rebecca, said: “How will I ever thank her?”

He added: “I was in a coma for nine or 10 nights (I just learned). That’s a lot of staring at your husband and his pipes. And a lot of worry.”

He shared a picture of his hand intertwined with hers on the bed.