Queen's Brian May Temporarily Lost Control of Arm After Minor Stroke

"So, good news is I’m okay. Just doing what I’m told which is basically nothing."

Photo via @brianmayforreal on Instagram

BY Megan LaPierrePublished Sep 4, 2024

Queen guitarist Sir Brian May has revealed that he recently suffered a minor stroke, which left him temporarily without control of his arm.

He shared the news in a video posted to his website. "Good news is that I can play guitar after the events of the last few days — and I say this because it was in some doubt — because that little health hiccup that I mentioned happened about a week ago, and what they called it was a minor stroke," the musician said. "All of a sudden — out of the blue — I didn't have control over this arm, so [that] was a little scary."

"I have to say, I had the most fantastic care and attention from Frimley [Park] Hospital, where I went, blue lights flashing, the lot — very exciting," May said of the medical institution in the English county of Surrey, adding, "I really don't want sympathy."

He concluded, "So, good news is I'm okay. Just doing what I'm told which is basically nothing. I'm grounded, I'm not allowed to go out — well I'm not allowed to drive, not allowed to get on a plane, not allowed to raise the heart rate too high."

In the clip, May went on to discuss reactions to his recent BBC One documentary campaigning to stop the practice of badger culling. Watch what he had to say about that and his health scare below.


Earlier this summer, Queen's catalogue was acquired for over $1 billion USD in the most lucrative music rights sale to date.

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