Inside Brian May’s health woes, marriage split and devastating tragedy

Brian May has reached a new milestone as the legendary Queen guitarist turns 76 today.

Outside of music, the performer has had his fair share of struggles, including his most recent health woes.

Back in May 2020, the rockstar revealed that he had ripped his buttock muscles while gardening.

But unbeknown to the star at the time, this muscular injury was only the start of his health troubles.

After being admitted to hospital, the Bohemian Rhapsody singer revealed that he was “very near death”.

Although he was being treated for his heart attack and blocked arteries, the guitarist suffered from complications due to the medication he was on.

In an interview with The Times, Brian said: “It is a long climb back. I’ve had complications due to the drugs I’m on, one of which was a stomach explosion that nearly killed me.

“I don’t know what’s worse: the pain or the painkillers.”

Fortunately, Brian has gone on to make a full recovery and was supported by his wife Anita Dobson.

Prior to his second marriage, the musician tied the knot with his first wife Christine Mullen, and they went on to welcome three children together.

Brian and Christine separated in 1988 shortly after the death of his bandmate and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.

The guitarist admitted he already met his second wife before his marriage split as he and Anita had met back in 1986.

During a joint interview on Loose Women back in 2015, Anita confessed that she wasn’t proud of being “the scarlet woman” behind his wife’s back but ultimately everything worked out for the best.

The doting dad said: “We’ve kind of been together since 1986 – a little bit off and on but then we got married and it’s been good.”

Anita added: “There was a slight overlap, [I’m a] scarlet woman, not that I’m proud of it.”

“That’s another thing that’s sort of taboo but happens and it’s an inevitable process which everyone resists, I did, I tried to.” Brian explained.

The pair tied the knot in 2000 and will celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary on November 18.

Brian was also dealt a devastating blow after Queen’s lead singer Freddie Mercury died in his Kensington home from an AIDS-related illness in November 1991.

The rocker shared his emotional struggles with getting the last Queen record made and how he and the band came to terms with the star’s untimely death.

Brian took part in a Q&A at his album launch, held at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich last year.

He said: “It was something I had to go through. Me and Roger both, I think, completely overreacted to Freddie’s death, if it’s possible to say that.

“In other words, we went so far away along the path of trying to forget that we over-grieved and we sort of denied the existence of Queen for a while. I certainly know I did.”