Supernanny star Jo Frost has shared an update on her health, months after revealing she had been diagnosed with anaphylaxis — a life-threatening allergic reaction often triggered by food, medication, insect stings, or nuts
During an interview with E! News on Thursday, Frost, 55, who starred in the British reality parenting program in the 2000s, spoke about how the condition affects her everyday life.
“It’s very life-threatening and very dangerous for me if there are nuts,” she said. “I’ve ended up in hospital having anaphylactic shock. So, it is about being very cautious and diligent in making sure that you are keeping yourself safe.”
Frost triple-checks menus at restaurants and product labels at grocery stores, ensuring there are no nuts; however, she said some people have made comments about how cautious she is.
“I was really appalled by the behavior in America with the lack of empathy,” Frost added. “I’ve been literally woken up by other customers on airlines: ‘How dare you, I can’t even eat my peanuts!”
Frost stressed the seriousness of anaphylaxis, noting that it could affect anyone, directly or indirectly.
“If it’s not you that’s got it, it may be a family member or a friend who knows someone that has these allergies,” she added.
She emphasized the importance of empathy in understanding people living with life-threatening medical conditions.
“If we are going to be a country that cares about our children and their safety, then we have to start looking at that as well,” Frost added. “I hope it brings us to a place where others are educated and more informed, where we can start changing policy and laws.”
Anaphylaxis “can occur within seconds or minutes of exposure to something you’re allergic to, such as peanuts or bee stings,” according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms of the potentially life-threatening allergic reaction can include a rapid and weak pulse, a skin rash, nausea, and vomiting.
In sharing the news of her diagnosis in July, Frost said: “I have anaphylaxis, a life-threatening medical condition to certain foods that will compromise my body so horrifically to the point of hospitalization. I’ve survived more anaphylactic shocks than I’m prepared to go into detail about right now.”
She said the diagnosis “does not define who I am and the impact I make in the world daily”, but said it” does impact how I live my life daily, like the precautions I take, the energy I have to use to discern with hypervigilance.”
“It means that your ‘inclusion’ of health and safety standards doesn’t apply to me. Just non-anaphylaxis people out there,” she said. “And by the way, I speak on behalf of those who also have celiac disease, too, because we are not all faddy eaters. I’m not looking to be treated special, I’m looking to be treated with the same dignity and attentiveness as you just showed others.”
From 2004 to 2008, Frost appeared in Supernanny, where she was known for her no-nonsense approach and strong sense of discipline. Each episode of the Channel 4 series saw her help struggling parents set boundaries and manage their badly behaved children. The program became so popular that the concept was adapted in the US, where it ran from 2005 to 2011.
