Coronation Street: Kelly tries to stop Corey's attack in flashback
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The episodes containing Norris’ death from a stroke will air as part of a double bill starting on Wednesday September 15. The actor’s last appearance in the ITV soap was in 2020 during an episode to celebrate VE Day. But since then the actor has taken the brave decision to retire from acting completely.
The 81-year-old took the decision to retire after he suffered a near-fatal heart attack. Back in 2017 the actor suffered a “silent heart attack” which came with no warning signs.
The condition was so bad that it left a hole in the left ventricle of his heart and his chances of survival remained slim. After an emergency operation the actor was put into an induced coma for three weeks.
Talking about the ordeal Malcolm told the Blackpool Gazette: “Most of December I was in an induced coma, in the care of these brilliant, wonderful people at the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU).
“Fortunately I didn’t realise how bad it was; I was dying.
“The cardiac team, headed by Mr Zacharias, simply saved my life.”
The actor who won Funniest Character at the Inside Soap Awards in both 2001 and 2002 had his heart “wallpapered” by medics in order to salvage the damage that the heart attack had caused. Amazingly, the team did this by taking tissue from a cow.
After experiencing initial symptoms, Malcolm dismissed them as an innocent chest infection, but after he got his heart monitored by his GP, the seriousness of the condition was revealed.
Whilst at the GP surgery an ambulance was called and it turned out that the actor was suffering from a heart attack. Due to the severity of the condition doctors were faced with, the surgeon has to perform a risky and “groundbreaking” procedure.
According to Harvard Health, about half of all heart attacks are mistaken for less serious problems and it can increase your risk of dying from coronary artery disease.
Silent heart attacks account for 45 percent of all heart attacks and seem to affect men more than women.
They are known as “silent” because as they are occurring their symptoms lack the intensity of a classic heart attack.
Symptoms of a heart attack generally include the following:
- Chest pain. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes – or it may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
- Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath. This can occur with or without chest pain.
Other less common symptoms include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
Although the symptoms cannot be felt as intensely, like Malcolm the damage a silent heart attack can cause can be even worse than some normal heart attacks.
Both conditions are caused by a blockage in the blood flow to your heart, starving the muscle of oxygen.
The Mayo Clinic suggests that those who suffer from a silent heart attack are at greater risk of suffering another soon after which could prove to be fatal. Once you have suffered one you are also more exposed to other conditions such as heart failure.
Although there are no specific tests to determine your potential of having a heart attack, doctors and medical professionals have identified several risk factors to monitor, treat or alleviate in order to minimise your risk.
These include:
- Age
- Diabetes
- Excess weight
- Family history of heart disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Lack of exercise
- Prior heart attack
- Tobacco use.
Similar to Malcolm’s experience, the only way to determine if you have had a silent heart attack is to have an imaging test. These can reveal the changes within your heart that signal an attack.
If you think you have had a silent heart attack it is crucial that you go and talk to your doctor who can review your health and test any long-term symptoms.
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