James McAvoy reveals the NHS saved his life following botched surgery

James McAvoy has revealed the NHS saved his life after he underwent ‘botched’ surgery.

The X-Men actor, 41, made the admission and expressed his eternal gratitude towards the NHS during an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of Good Morning Britain, as he discussed donating £275,000 to the Masks For NHS Heroes campaign.  

Speaking about his mission to provide PPE equipment to NHS staff on the COVID-19 frontline, he said: ‘The NHS has been there for me from the day I was born. 

‘Throughout my life, me personally, they saved my life, which I won’t go into too much. 

‘For the lives of my loved ones and my family, you know, I would be without multiple members of my family and I mean close, close family if it weren’t for the work of the NHS. 

‘And as horrible as this experience is that we are all going through, it is teaching us just how important our welfare system is and our healthcare system is and how important it is that we respect, and that we reward and protect those who are in the business of protecting us.’

When asked by Piers Morgan to elaborate on his near-death experience, the IT Chapter Two actor said: ‘I think a lot of us are in that similar position… In a less developed society random everyday things might kill us… you can fall over and bang your head and you’ve got this beautiful thing called the NHS which will save your life. 

‘You can have a little botched surgery, which is what happened to me, and the NHS is there to save your life. 

‘You quickly realise in a situation like this just how close we are to all of that falling apart, how delicate and how precious it is and how much we need to look after it going forward.’

James also discussed the staggering success of the Masks For NHS Heroes campaign which was set up by a group of four doctors, and has raised  almost £2million so far.

Their mission is to ‘purchase certified PPE to donate directly to the NHS front line and protect staff and patients’.    

On the battle to provide frontline NHS workers with PPE, he said: ‘I honestly can’t go into pointing fingers. But there is clearly a problem somewhere along the line whether it’s a shortage of supplies or a problem in distribution. 

‘Either way, there is a failure there somewhere and what Masks For NHS Heroes is trying to do is trying to augment what is coming in from the government already. 

‘We are trying to help plug gaps and put fingers in dams and so far the British people, and people around the world, have been so incredible at responding to the appeal and we have made just under £2 million pounds so we are trying our best.’

Last month  James claimed that his generous £275k donation to the NHS was not simply to help buy supplies for staff – but to show how much they are valued and supported by the public during the coronavirus crisis.

The star told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘One of the main reasons I wanted to give money, and why I upped the amount of money, was not just to get [Personal Protective Equipment] across there, which is so important, but secondarily I’d say it was more to show a sign of support to the frontline staff.

‘I’ve heard that morale is incredibly low and they’re feeling exposed and vulnerable and like they haven’t been supported properly.  

‘I think we’ve got to protect those incredible doctors and surgeons and porters and the lady that fills the vending machine at the hospital, and we’ve got to protect all of those people by staying indoors, we’ve got to protect all of those people by social distancing and by taking it seriously, and I think people are starting to take it more seriously.

‘They’ve got to protect their families, and I just wanted to help start a conversation that says to the NHS, we value you so much.’

James added that he has a personal sense of value toward the NHS, explaining: ‘They’ve saved my life and the lives of my family multiple times, and they probably will be doing it at some point in the near future again, so please please please know we value you.’   

James, who last year starred in the likes of Glass and IT: Chapter Two, has helped to buy the likes of masks, visors and gloves for hospitals after the medics launched the crowdfunding page last month claiming that they were ‘going to war without armour’.

The campaign’s target was initially £200,000 and it has already surpassed this, currently standing at £1.9million with a new goal of £3million.

James said on Instagram: ‘Money donated today will save lives … Help us to help the government to help the NHS.’