UB40 star nearly died after returning from Ibiza holiday and collapsing in kitchen, because of well-known illness

UB40 star Earl Falconer has spoken out about his life-threatening experience of a well-known illness, recalling how he experienced bizarre dreams and now lives with impaired hearing.

After holidaying in Ibiza, the bassist, 65, collapsed from bacterial meningitis at his Staffordshire home in October 2023, waking up in hospital two weeks later under the false impression that he was in Mexico City, complete with "all these mad dreams". Falconer's condition, he learnt, could have been fatal within hours, according to the Meningitis Research Foundation.

He say his recovery is thanks to the urgent care at Walsall Manor Hospital. Not only did he survive, but he's also made a triumphant return to performing and is currently on UB40's tour in Auckland, New Zealand. But the aftermath of the illness for the bass player includes "brutal" hearing distortion a significant setback for his career, though he considers himself "lucky to be here".

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Speaking with PA Real Life, Earl shared his new outlook: "Just live life every day because life's really precious and you never know what's around the corner. It could all go pear-shaped."

"Luckily, I came out the other end, a little bit impaired and a bit shaken up, but I'm a pretty positive person, so I just see it as another challenge."

Embracing life's uncertainties, he added: "That's the way I look at it it's just another thing that life throws at you."

The Meningitis Research Foundation says that bacterial meningitis is a serious, life-threatening illness, with initial symptoms often being non-specific such as fever, vomiting, headaches and feeling unwell. Earl, who has always led an active lifestyle, enjoying activities like bike riding and hot yoga, had not faced any significant health issues apart from an E. coli diagnosis about ten years ago.

However, upon returning from a trip to Ibiza last year, Earl noticed "mucus coming out (his) nose" in October 2023. He later discovered that this was the fluid that had swollen around his brain and spinal cord, which was actually coming out through his nose.

Just four days after arriving home, Earl collapsed in his kitchen but managed to return to bed beyond this point, his memory is hazy. Following this incident, he was rushed via ambulance to Walsall Manor Hospital, where he received crucial life-saving treatment.

"I woke up two weeks later after being on a ventilator and I thought I was in Mexico City," he revealed. It took him approximately four or five days to realise he wasn't actually in Mexico City.

Upon waking, Earl found himself extremely weak, to the point where he couldn't even lift a glass of water. His hospital stay was described as "surreal", filled with "crazy" dreams, including one where he travelled to Australia for a cricket tournament, and another where he was driving an electric car as if he were in an action film.

During his troubling experience, he shared: "I was having all these mad dreams, dream after dream after dream. There were times when I knew it was touch and go, even though I was in a mad dream state, and I remember all the doctors being around me and I thought, 'I'm probably not going to wake up tomorrow'."

He found himself grappling with dark thoughts: "I was resigning myself to the fact that I'm probably going to die."

After an extended stay at the hospital, Earl received what he described as "the best treatment you could ever imagine" His condition started to improve, and by the end of his month-long stay, he began walking again and regained some of his strength.

On November 7, 2023, while still recovering, Earl conveyed through the band's website: "I would just want to say on a personal note to anybody who is 65 and over, to please get inoculated for meningitis..." He then added: "I was due to have my injection this coming January, so I was a bit unlucky, missing it by a few months."

Meningitis can be caused by a number of different infections, so several vaccinations offer some protection against it.

Looking to the future, he said: "I will definitely be back as soon as humanly possible. Thanks for all the lovely messages and support from family, friends and fans. Big love."

Despite being released from the hospital, Earl faced challenges at home, utilising Zimmer frames to regain his mobility. What took him by surprise was an unexpected change in his hearing, as he explained: "While I was in the hospital, I woke up one morning and my hearing just changed, just on one side.

"I thought it would come back it's like when you're in the plane and there's the pressure in your ears and everything. I was waiting for that moment, but it never happened."

Earl later discovered he had sustained nerve damage which affects the connection between his brain and ear, leading to impaired hearing and a reliance on hearing aids. Now, he says his hearing is "distorted", as sounds are high-pitched in his right ear and lower in the left, changing his perception of music.

Describing the impact on his career, Earl expressed: "It's brutal because, being a musician, it actually distorts sound and makes things sound different."

As a bassist, he finds familiar songs challenging: "I'm a bass player and I've got certain tunes like Red Red Wine, one of our most famous tunes you've got six or seven chords in Red Red Wine, and then one of the chords when I'm playing, it just sounds wrong, like it's out of tune."

Despite the setbacks, Earl remains positive and dedicated to finding solutions: "I'm still on a journey trying to adjust and find different ways to try and get around the problem, but it's really messed my hearing up."

Although facing challenges with his hearing, Earl, a family man with five children and 15 grandchildren, shared that he is still on a learning curve but is almost fully recuperated and has resumed touring with UB40 as they mark their 45th anniversary. The band continues their tour in Auckland, New Zealand, where he also focuses on staying fit by visiting the gym whenever possible.

Earl, who was warned that a full recovery could span two years, has expressed gratitude for his situation. In the wake of World Meningitis Day on October 5 globally coordinated by Meningitis Research Foundation he is urging others to take up vaccinations and do their utmost to stay safe.

"One minute everything can be alright and the next minute you can be dead," Earl remarked. "I've had near-death experiences just riding bikes and mountain biking but obviously I'm still here, I wasn't meant to go."

Admitting his hearing issues, he added: "My hearing's all over the place, but I'm still here and really lucky... and I'm just living every day as best I can."

Earl decided to recount his ordeal in collaboration with Meningitis Research Foundation. The charity is appealing for testimonials from 2,030 individuals across the globe for their project 'Meningitis in your words'. For further information, visit: meningitis.org/meningitis-in-your-words.

Children should receive most of these as part of the NHS vaccination schedule. Speak to your GP if you're not sure whether you or your child's vaccinations are up to date.