Gogglebox star Jonathan Tapper, 52, left fighting for his life after contracting coronavirus… as wife Nikki reveals fears he may suffer a relapse

Jonathan Tapper was fighting for his life after contracting COVID-19. His wife told us that she cared for him for two weeks after the deadly virus left him struggling to breathe, and still fears he may suffer a relapse.

Jonathan – who is diabetic and lost three stone last year after warning from doctors about his health – is continuing to recover from the virus at home.

Nikki, 47, told that Jonathan showed his first symptoms a month ago and said that he suffered a cough and high temperature and was left unable to move by the virus.

She added that he lay down on the sofa and didn’t move for two weeks, and at times he struggled to breathe.

Nikki then added: ‘We tended to him as best we could, but at times he seemed unable to breathe. Having spoken to the doctors, they urged us to stay home, but they said to quickly get an oxygen monitor, which fixed to his finger.’

She added that the rest of the family have also been infected by the virus, and Jonathan was watched by his daughter Amy, 20, when the virus reached its worst point.

Nikki said: ‘I tried to keep calm, asking him all the time if he could breathe. I felt that I couldn’t think straight because I was so unwell myself at the time too. Amy was crying.

‘But I kept vigil through the night and monitored his oxygen levels and luckily, with the help of 111 [NHS helpline], we got through to the next day.’

Jonathan is now continuing to rest and recover from the virus to try and avoid suffering a relapse.

Nikki said she hopes that she and her family will have developed some form of immunity from the virus, and offered her thoughts to families who are going through the same ordeal.

Last year Jonathan lost three stone after overhauling his diet, going from 21st 3lbs to a much trimmer 18st 8lbs. He changed his calorie count from more than 3,000 to just 1,800, swapping crisps and full English breakfasts with protein rich chicken lunches.  Previously speaking of his weight loss, he said: ‘Filming for Gogglebox could take up to 12 hours a week and that was 12 hours that I was paid to sit around without moving.’