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28 Feb 2026 1:39
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  •   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

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     Today's News

    Law and Order:
    A 26 year old will face court after allegedly trying to steal a necklace worth more than 70 thousand dollars from Auckland's CBD 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Drew Barrymore travels down "memory lane" when looking at pictures of herself from her 1990s heyday 21:51

    Entertainment:
    Cruz Beckham's 21st birthday celebrations have gone on for a week 21:21

    Rugby:
    Fa'alogo Tana Umaga is reminding his players the only thing they can control is their own effort 21:17

    Entertainment:
    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arrived at the World Health Organisation's country office in Amman 20:51

    Entertainment:
    Jameela Jamil has called out women at the BAFTAs for being "scarily thin" 20:21

    Entertainment:
    Sinitta has described her marriage to Andy Willner as a "revenge move" aimed at Simon Cowell 19:51

    Entertainment:
    Jennifer Garner has spoken candidly about the realities of co-parenting her three children with her former husband 19:21

    Soccer:
    A huge 8-nil win over Samoa for the Football Ferns in their Fifa World Cup qualifier in Honiara 18:57

    Politics:
    An economist says benefit sanctions aren't working 18:57


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