Bradley Walsh and his son Barney have landed themselves what many might see as the best job ever – jetting off to Japan for a brand new instalment of their popular ITV show, Bradley and Barney Walsh: Breaking Dad.
During their travels, they got to revel in the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, with Bradley even facing his fears on one of Japan’s most daunting rope bridges. Bradley owned up to being utterly petrified, with “vertigo” setting in as he braved the shaky crossing.
This hair-raising experience came up as Chris Evans chatted with the Walsh duo on his Virgin Radio Breakfast Show, telling The Chase presenter directly: “You genuinely have the vertigo, because you could tell.”
Bradley conceded: “I know, people think I’m making it up,” only for Chris to back him up, remarking: “There’s no way, you were white as a sheet.” Barney chimed in: “It does terrify him.”
Barney admitted he’s also starting to have nerves about some of the show’s stunts(Image: Wiktor Szymanowicz, Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Bradley opened up about his journey to confronting his fears, expressing hope that he has made some progress since his earlier days: “I’d like to think that since the early days, I’ve got a bit better.”
The NHS website describes vertigo as the sensation of spinning or swaying, which can disturb your balance. It can range from a few seconds to continuous episodes lasting days or months.
While vertigo typically improves without intervention, the NHS suggests visiting a GP if the issue recurs frequently or hampers everyday life.
Vertigo is often mistakenly called a ‘fear of heights’, but the correct term for that phobia is acrophobia. Healthline notes that acrophobia can trigger physical reactions such as increased sweating, chest pain or tightness, nausea or lightheadedness, and a rapid heartbeat when faced with or thinking about high places.
Barney, 27, chipped in to say that his enthusiasm for daring stunts has waned since his teenage years: “When we first started I was 19 …when we were climbing up a rock face, or jumping out of a plane, I took to that like a duck to water.”
He continued, reflecting on how age has brought more caution: “It was very, very easy to do those things …but now that the years have gone on – I’m 27 now – I’m having a go at some of the stuff we did in this series, and there are moments when you think, ‘Oh, what if this goes wrong?'”.
“You don’t have those thoughts when you’re young.”
Bradley has faced other health challenges beyond “vertigo”. He’s opened up about his struggle with blepharitis, which causes his eyes to appear swollen and red.
Discussing his condition, he said: “People don’t realise I have seriously bad blepharitis. I have to take one pill a day for it or I really struggle. I am going to need my eyes operated on at some point to sort it out.”
He also addressed public perception: “So many times, people have commented on how I look. But they don’t realise. If I take medication though, I’m fine.”
The father-and-son duo’s past adventures have taken them on a grand tour through Europe, Scandinavia, and the US. Their daring escapades included tackling a 220-metre bungee jump in Switzerland and taking the plunge with a heart-stopping cliff dive along Italy’s Amalfi Coast.