Kim Wilde feared her battle with COVID-19 would permanently affect her singing voice
The British pop icon has contracted the respiratory illness - which sparked a global pandemic in 2020 - on a number of occasions and was left stricken by the disease
22 April 2025
Kim, 64, has revealed that COVID "interfered with my voice" and she was, at one stage, concerned that it would have a long-term effect on her ability to sing.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz, she said: "I had a few issues with COVID this past year and it's interfered with my voice. Now, I'm a hundred per cent fit and I've recovered but there were times whether I did wonder whether I would recover enough. Now that I have, the one thing that really came out very strong to me is how much I physically love singing.
"I just seemed to get it and then lose and then it would come again. I'm not sure if it was long COVID or just picking up different viruses. It went hand-in-hand with a lot of work. I managed to work through some of it, but not all of it. It's been a tough year from a health perspective but I've come through it."
Kim has made several changes to her lifestyle to ensure she can be as healthy as possible and keep performing live and recording new music.
The 'Kids in America' singer - who released her 15th studio LP 'Closer' in January and will be heading back out on tour later this summer - said: "I'm really looking after myself in a way that I've probably never looked after myself, before. To build my immune system and make myself as strong as possible physically.
"I eat a lot more protein and I eat less processed food, much less.
"I have a personal trainer; I've been working with him for the past couple of years. I've been very proactive on the whole thing. I gave up alcohol about eight or nine years ago so that's lots of pieces to the puzzle.
"It's never just one thing, it's a holistic approach to one's health. Keeping mobile, keeping moving, looking after yourself, watching what you think, keeping positive, kind. Watch what you say, notice when things don't feel right and take more accountability for yourself. It's kinds of things. These are the great things that you learn when you get older, there's got to be some benefits!"
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