- Sir Brian May, Queen guitarist, suffers minor stroke, loses arm control
- Makes recovery, regains arm movement, and can play guitar again
- Second health scare in four years, following 2019 heart attack
Sir Brian May, the legendary guitarist of Queen, has disclosed that he recently experienced a minor stroke, which initially left him unable to use his left arm. The 77-year-old musician shared this news in a video posted on his website on Wednesday, revealing that while he faced some challenges, he has now largely recovered.
“The good news is that I can play guitar after the events of the last few days,” May said in the video. “I say this because it was in some doubt because that little health hiccup that I mentioned happened about a week ago, and what they called it was a minor stroke. All of a sudden – out of the blue – I didn’t have any control over this arm. So it was a little scary, I have to say.”
May expressed his gratitude towards the medical team at Frimley Hospital in Surrey, where he was treated. “I went, blue lights flashing, the lot – very exciting,” he said. “So, the good news is I’m OK. I’m just doing what I’m told, which is basically nothing.”
The guitarist detailed some of the restrictions placed on him during his recovery. “I’m not allowed to go out – well, I’m not allowed to drive, not allowed to get on a plane, not allowed to raise the heart rate too high,” he noted. May humorously added, while a plane flew overhead during the video, “I’m not allowed to have planes flying over, which will stress me. But I’m good.”
May also addressed why he had not previously made the stroke public. “I really don’t want sympathy,” he said. “Please don’t do that because it’ll clutter up my inbox and I hate that.”
The announcement comes shortly after the broadcast of a BBC One documentary hosted by May about his campaign to prevent the culling of badgers, a controversial measure used to combat tuberculosis in cattle. In his video, May reflected on the positive reception of the program, particularly from farmers and wildlife advocates, despite some criticism from organizations like the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, which argued the documentary lacked key evidence.
May’s recent stroke follows a “small” heart attack he suffered four years ago, which he described as a wake-up call about his health. At that time, he learned he had three congested arteries and underwent surgery to have three stents fitted.
In addition to his illustrious music career with Queen—where his contributions include iconic hits such as “We Will Rock You,” “Who Wants to Live Forever,” and “Flash”—May is also known for his animal rights activism and his academic achievements. He earned a PhD in astrophysics in 2007, decades after initially abandoning his thesis to pursue a career with the band. He is married to former EastEnders actress Anita Dobson.
