News | Entertainment
15 Feb 2026 17:14
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Idris Elba feels like he "dodged a bullet" after recovering from Covid-19

    Both the 47-year-old actor and his wife Sabrina Dhowre, 31, contracted the virus in April and Idris says they are thankful to be alive


    In an interview with BAFTA, he said: "I do feel like I dodged a bullet – I’m very thankful to be alive."

    Meanwhile, Idris previously admitted the "mental impact" of Covid-19 was "pretty traumatic" on him and Sabrina.

    He explained: "I was asymptomatic so I didn't get the major symptoms everyone else got. Mentally, it hit me very bad, because a lot was unknown about it.

    "I felt very compelled to speak about it, just because it was such an unknown. So the mental impact of that on both myself and my wife was pretty traumatic."

    The former star of 'The Wire' added that he was grateful for lockdown because it gave him the time to recover from the virus.

    He admitted: "I needed the lockdown to try to get over it. And it turns out the world actually probably needed the lockdown, too."

    Idris has said it felt the right thing to do to share his diagnosis as it "opened up a lot of conversation around it".

    He said: "My wife and I felt like it was the right thing to do, to share it with you guys. Right now though, I am feeling okay. Woke up this morning, didn't have any symptoms. My voice is a little tired ... checking my fever twice a day. Feel good, feel okay. Been doing a lot of reading about it. You know, asymptomatic is what comes up."

    Several celebrities were struck down with Covid-19, including Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, pop star Pink and Britain's Prince Charles.

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     15 Feb: Heather McComb will remember James Van Der Beek as being "innocent, kind and pure of heart"
     15 Feb: Margaret Qualley felt "overwhelmed" when she began her acting career
     15 Feb: Bunnie Xo has been wowed by Jelly Roll's 300-lb. weight loss
     15 Feb: Jesy Nelson no longer has "time" to make music
     15 Feb: Lena Dunham replaced her friends with a "posse" of cats after moving to London
     15 Feb: Camila Cabello has revealed "it's taken a year" for her hair to recover after she dyed it blonde
     15 Feb: Kylie Jenner has applauded her sister Kim Kardashian for "nailing" the new SKIMS cotton collection
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Australia have owned the waters off Auckland for a second straight SailGP season More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    BNZ bank is offering support to those affected by severe weather More...



     Today's News

    Law and Order:
    Police are making enquiries after a body washed up at Mahia, near Wairoa 16:57

    Cricket:
    Black Caps pace bowler Lockie Ferguson has departed the T20 World Cup camp on paternity leave 16:17

    International:
    Six mysterious deaths in the Balkan Mountains 16:07

    Rugby:
    Australia have owned the waters off Auckland for a second straight SailGP season 15:27

    Law and Order:
    Police are looking for two men who assaulted a Hamilton woman, while trying to enter her Fairfield home 15:27

    Entertainment:
    Heather McComb will remember James Van Der Beek as being "innocent, kind and pure of heart" 14:21

    Law and Order:
    Gisèle Pelicot intends to visit ex-husband in prison to get answers on other allegations 14:17

    Environment:
    The low pressure system is far from finished - hauling a plethora of weather elements our way 14:07

    Entertainment:
    Margaret Qualley felt "overwhelmed" when she began her acting career 13:51

    Golf:
    American Akshay Bhatia will take a two shot lead into the final round of the PGA Tour's latest event in Pebble Beach 13:47


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd