Beloved Coronation Street Star Malcolm Hebden Recounts Near-Fatal Heart Attack

Malcolm Hebden, the actor best known for playing the iconic busybody Norris Cole on Coronation Street, shared the harrowing details of a health crisis that nearly claimed his life. The veteran actor suffered a severe “silent heart attack” in late 2017, an ordeal that required life-saving surgery and an extended leave from the popular ITV soap.

The health scare began in December 2017 when Hebden, who was 78 at the time, was taken to the hospital. The heart attack was so severe that it tore a hole in his heart and, by his own admission, he was “dying.”

Life-Saving Operation and Induced Coma

Following his collapse, Hebden was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, where he underwent a ground-breaking procedure to repair the damage. The operation, led by consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Joseph Zacharias, involved using tissue from a cow to “wallpaper” the hole in his heart.

Due to the severity of his condition, Hebden was placed in a medically induced coma for most of December. He later praised the staff at the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), stating that the cardiac team “simply saved my life.” Fortunately, Hebden was later discharged after receiving post-operative care and physiotherapy, though he continued to take medication as part of his recovery.

The actor’s absence from the screen, where his character Norris Cole was said to be traveling in Peru, led to false and cruel online hoaxes claiming his death. However, co-stars were quick to reassure fans that he was thankfully on the mend. Hebden eventually returned to the cobbles for short cameos to ease himself back into work before retiring from the role in 2021.