Third Age: Frankly, I am lucky to be alive

FOUR months ago, Andrew Marr, 53, the BBC TV presenter and journalist, suffered a major stroke.

Today he is able to talk, and fortunately his memory does not appear to be affected, yet he now has problems walking and his left-side is “very weak”.

Marr, a non-smoker who regularly exercised, believes his stroke was due to an overenthusiastic session on a rowing machine.