My cancer diagnosis made life feel 'hyper-precious', says Jeff Bridges

Jeff Bridges feels everything in life became "hyper-precious" amid his health struggles.

The 72-year-old actor was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2020 and he was also hit hard by COVID-19 - but Jeff believes his two-year "health adventure" has actually helped him to look at life through a new lens.

The actor - who revealed in 2021 that his tumour had shrunk - shared: "I got cancer and chemo and then COVID on top of that. And the chemo stripped me of my immune system so I got the COVID pretty bad.

"I was sick for about two years and [it was] very dreamlike, you know."

Jeff spent months in hospital at the height of his health struggles. However, he always tried to retain a positive outlook on life, and he admits that the experience has had a lasting impact on him.

Discussing his health troubles, Jeff told Sky News: "Not all bad - [there were] wonderful parts about being that sick that were kind of unexpected, you know, feeling all that love coming towards me from my family and friends and from other people all over the world.

"That was [an] unexpected, wonderful feeling, and then also the love that that kind of triggered for me.

"I said, 'Oh yeah, this is life, this is wonderful', and everything became kind of hyper-precious during that time."

The Hollywood star has now returned to filming his new TV show, 'The Old Man', and Jeff is "thrilled" to be back on set.

He said: "We broke for pandemic and we were off for a few months and that's where my health adventure began.

"And then two years later, I went back to work and it was the most bizarre feeling - it was like we had a long weekend and I couldn't wait to tell my buddies this dream that I had: I was sick, I was in the hospital, you know, it all felt very dreamlike.

"But I'm back on my feet and thrilled to be here."

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