Rachael Ray reveals she recently ‘had a couple of bad falls’ after sparking concern over ‘slurred speech’
Rachael Ray revealed she recently “had a couple of bad falls” after sparking concern among fans over her “slurred speech.”
In the debut episode of her podcast, “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead,” released Tuesday, the celebrity cook told guest Jenny Mollen, “I am a homemaker. I love chores. I love being in the kitchen. I always work with my brain every day. I’m always writing something.
“But I really like chores. I like what people consider physical work. I like making dinners, planning dinners, making lists,” she continued before adding that she even loves “helping carry in the wood.”
However, Ray shared that she “had a couple of bad falls in the last couple of weeks” and “hasn’t been doing that in a while.”
Although it is unclear when the falls happened, the 56-year-old previously worried fans when she appeared to have “slurred” speech in videos posted to her Instagram.
In one clip from September, she talked about hosting a dinner for the late Tony Bennett and his wife. However, her voice made netizens wonder whether she was suffering from a health issue.
“I love you but are you ok? I’m seriously concerned,” one user commented while another one asked, “Wait! What’s going on with Rachael Ray?”
“Is she slurring or am I slurring,” wrote a third person.
“Rachel is in a bit of trouble?! I hope someone is just as concerned as I am?” commented a fourth.
Many also defended Ray, saying her speech could be attributed to her aging “like the rest of us.”
“She’s aging well the normal way no plastic surgery or doing it like every one else … get real people … all people judging about how all this celebrity are plastic surgery breast, lip, but [sic] anything and she’s just like us again the natural way so yes this is a shock to you all … Go Rachael do your thing and thank you for showing us the real you,” one person wrote.
“My goodness, all you perfect people making the most awful, hateful comments. MOVE ALONG!” a second commented.
Ray has never opened up about any health issues in the past, but, in 2008, she was forced to shut down claims she had throat cancer.
“Rachael is the picture of health. She is having very minor surgery to remove a benign cyst on her vocal cord,” her rep, Charlie Dougiello, said at the time.
“It’s a common in-and-out procedure that she will have in early December, and it will not adversely affect any of her daytime show or Food Network tapings.”
