Supernanny Jo Frost reveals little known health condition which could kill her: ‘It’s as bad as shoving a loaded gun in my face’

Supernanny Jo Frost has spoken about living with a deadly medical condition—and hinted that she has been close to death numerous times.   

The 55-year-old, who became a household name in the early 2000s for presenting parenting show Supernanny and went on to front several spin-off series, doesn’t often open up about her health issues. 

But yesterday, in a video shared with her 843,000 Instagram followers, Ms Frost shared more about having anaphylaxis, which is when the body has extreme allergic reactions to food, medicines or insect stings. 

The incurable condition is life-threatening as the body reacts to the foreign organism within seconds, with common symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction—also known as going into anaphylactic shock—including the tongue and throat swelling up, being unable to breathe, fainting and mental confusion. 

People with anaphylaxsis have to ensure that they carry an EpiPen—a preloaded injection filled with antibodies which can slow down or stop an allergic reaction in its tracks—with them at all times. 

Speaking in the emotional and strongly worded clip, Ms Frost revealed that she had suffered life-threatening allergic reactions multiple times. 

She is allergic to all nuts, peanuts, crustaceans and rye, and has asthma which is triggered by tobacco, severe changes in weather, pollen, strong household cleaning products, mold, animal dander, some ‘very flowery’ perfumes, and lilies. 

Ms Frost said: ‘I have anaphylaxis, a life threatening medical condition to certain foods that will compromise my body so horrifically to the point of hospitalisation. 

‘I’ve survived more anaphylactic shocks than I’m prepared to go into detail about right now.’

And, driving home just how life-threatening anaphylactic shock can be, she said:  ‘If you ignore the severity of this medical condition, it’s as bad as shoving a loaded gun in my face.’

Ms Frost continued that she is one of ‘millions’ of people who ‘live cautiously and anxiously…with not nearly enough compassion, education and empathy’ from people who do not suffer from extreme allergic reactions. 

She added that she—and no doubt other sufferers—feel forced to take full responsibility for what they put in their bodies as others do not take allergies seriously, calling out ‘lazy’ restaurant staff and large food corporations who are not transparent about their production methods.

‘I’m unapologetic for my medical condition. I did not ask for it, and it does not define who I am and the impact that I make in the world daily,’ she said. 

‘But it does impact how I live my life daily, like the precautions I take, the energy I have to use to discern with hyper vigilance whether you do know what you’re talking about when you’re in a restaurant or just winging it, because you can’t be arsed to go to the back of the kitchen and truly ask the chef.’ 

She also slammed food manufacturers who ‘dodge accountability legally and put your greed before my safety’ by placing “it may contain” labels on their products.   

‘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 coeliac disease too, because we are all not 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.’

Coeliac disease is a genetic autoimmune condition which means it develops when your body decides that healthy cells are foreign and so it sends antibodies out to ‘protect’ your body.

When someone has coeliac disease, their body triggers an immune response to gluten entering their systems. 

During this process, antibodies are released that damage the lining of their gut and can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms, some of which are not even tummy-related. 

Ms Frost rounded off her impassioned post by urging establishments to improve the training of their staff, and for food firms to generally do better at creating products that everyone can enjoy without fear of falling ill or dying. 

She said: ‘I don’t need your mumbling insults, your passive aggressive comments or your ignorance, just your need to be willing to learn. 

‘Educate your staff, change your policies, menus, work spaces, school training, event spaces for all, to champion children who are all ours, really, in this world, and show empathy and understanding to each other.’ 

In 2012, she told US magazine Allergic Living that she had been hospitalised by her allergies. 

‘The worst I’ve dealt with left me in hospital for a couple of days and my blood pressure went really low. [This incident happened three years ago, brought on by a restaurant meal.] 

‘I had been told, very confidently, that were no nuts in a particular meal, and there were. It left me never in the same place again.’ 

She added that the experience had made her much more cautious about eating out. 

‘What has changed is my ability to trust those who may not be fully informed. You have to read between the lines. At a restaurant if they say, “I think so,” that is not – “I know so”,’ she said.

‘Now in a restaurant, I ask: “Are you sure?” and “Can I see the chef?” because I have to be in control of my life and responsible for my life, so I will do what’s necessary to do that.’ 

She added that while filming Supernanny, all foods which could cause an allergic reaction—and pets—were removed from the family’s home and it underwent a very deep clean before shooting began. 

Ms Frost added: ‘I don’t see myself as a sufferer. I just know there are certain things that I can’t do. For instance, I would love to go horseback riding, but I can’t; it’s life or death. So there are things you can do and things you can’t. For instance, I waterski and cycle, things like that.’