Shaun Malone, a 31-year-old star of the British reality television series Gogglebox, has revealed he underwent brain surgery and is currently recovering in hospital. Malone shared updates on his condition via social media on Thursday, June 25, 2026.
Malone had previously disclosed that a life-threatening infection in his teenage years led to him being in a coma for several weeks and resulted in "brain damage." He shared on Wednesday that he was recuperating after the surgery, posting an image of stitches on his head. He captioned the post, "Heatwave is a terrible time to be stuck in hospital until Friday. Brain surgery is deffo not the highlight of my year."
During an appearance on the podcast "Coaching From The Sofa," Malone recounted the events of 2010 when a sinusitis infection spread to his brain, causing swelling and pressure on his skull. His mother took him to an emergency room, but he later collapsed at home and entered a coma. Doctors informed his parents that he had less than a 10% chance of survival.
Upon waking from the coma, Malone experienced effects from the brain damage, including memory issues and weakness on his left side, akin to a stroke, affecting his arm, leg, and the left side of his face. He credited his employment with the Manchester United Foundation for helping him regain confidence after this period, noting the significant impact on his mental health and the loss of independence.
Malone has been a cast member of Gogglebox alongside his parents, Julie and Tom Senior, since 2014. In 2020, he became a father to a son named Louis with his girlfriend Jade.