Billy Porter has shared that he is “on the road to a full recovery” after being hospitalised several months ago over a bad case of sepsis.
In a video posted to his social media, the Tony winner shared that he had been in the hospital for urosepsis – a serious condition where a urinary tract infection spreads to the bloodstream.
Porter called his video “proof of life”, saying that he was on course to make a full recovery.
“Hey everybody, Billy Porter here. I’m here first and foremost to say happy holiday, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, and everything in between. So some of you may or may not know that I was in the hospital very ill this fall with urosepsis,” he said in the Instagram video.
In early September, Porter pulled out from the Broadway production of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, where he was playing the role of Emcee.
“His doctors are confident that he will make a full recovery but have advised him to maintain a restful schedule,” the production said in a statement at the time. The production ended its run early on 19 September instead of a month later.
“It was not easy. It’s been a very, very challenging four months. And I want everybody to know that I am on the road to a full recovery. I’m not there yet, but I’m on the road to that. And I wanted to thank everybody for your prayers and your love and sending me all the vibes. I felt every single one of them,” Porter continued, getting visibly emotional.
Sepsis cases can deteriorate rapidly, and the condition requires prompt treatment, as it can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, or death.
“I know that I’m alive today because of my family, extended family, friends, communities, strangers. I’m very, very grateful to all of you,” Porter wrote. “And at some point, I will talk about it more in detail on my terms, which always means creatively in some way.
“So I’m here being silent, being present, being quiet, and listening to the universe, to God, whatever it is that you believe in. To show me the right way. So proof of life. She’s alive.”
Porter also talked about his new holiday film Christmas Karma, a retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, by Gurinder Chadha.
Christmas Karma stars The Big Bang Theory’s Kunal Nayyar as a contemporary Scrooge, called Mr Sood, who is haunted by three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria, Porter, and British singer Boy George.
“I play the Ghost of Christmas Present. It’s a musical,” he said. “So maybe when you’re around with your family this Christmas, you can sit down and get your blessing. It’s a very good movie. And I hope you enjoy it. I love you all. Happy New Year. And that’s it. Peace.”
Former EastEnders actor Danny Dyer, singer Pixie Lott, Bridgerton star Charithra Chandran, Downton Abbey actor Hugh Bonneville and Sanditon’s Leo Suter also star in the movie, which is streaming on Amazon Prime.
