‘It was agony’ – Sky F1 presenter details ‘gross’ surgery ahead of Japanese GP comeback

Popular Sky F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham is to make her long-awaited return at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix following major surgery last year.

It comes after the television star told PlanetF1.com of her “agony” after suffering a slipped disc in her neck, leaving her on the sidelines for six months.

Natalie Pinkham returns to Sky F1 duty at Japanese Grand Prix

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Pinkham has been a fixture of Sky F1’s coverage since the broadcaster secured the live Formula 1 broadcast rights ahead of the 2012 season.

The 48-year-old has not attended a race since fronting Sky F1’s coverage of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 7 last year, with Pinkham undergoing surgery later that month.

She was forced to abandon her original plan to return at the Brazilian Grand Prix last November, with regular presenter Simon Lazenby flown in to Sao Paulo at late notice to cover for Pinkham.

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Pinkham revealed earlier this month that she has been given the “all clear” by medics to take long-haul flights, confirming she will return to action at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

In a recent interview with PlanetF1.com, Pinkham lifted the lid on what she described as the “gross” details of her surgery, revealing that her voice box was briefly removed during the procedure.

She said: “I hadn’t stopped for 15 years. Even having kids, I was back after six weeks. These last five months, it’s been a useful process for me.

“It was agony. A disc in my neck slipped. It was pressing not only against the nerves down my left arm but also my spinal cord.

“The doctors said: ‘You have to have that out. Now.’”

“They went in at the front, took the voice box out and moved the trachea and oesophagus.

“Then they took the disc out, fused the vertebrae together, put a little cage in to prop the neck back up and put me back together again.

“When they told me what they were going to do I was like: ‘Not a chance.’

“They were like: “Hmm, you don’t really have a choice.’”

Pinkham, who posted a clip to social media of her travelling to Japan with Sky F1 commentator David Croft on Tuesday, went on to reveal that she is “slightly nervous” about her return from a physical perspective.

Speaking ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, she said: “I’ve got a couple more weeks to get as strong as possible before getting on a long haul, which I haven’t done yet.

“I am slightly nervous from my own physical health point of view, but really excited as well.

“Ever since 2020, when we all had to pull together in COVID, F1 has really felt like a community, a family. I’ve missed it.

“I’m just hoping I get through that grand prix weekend without losing my voice. I won’t have talked for that long for five months!”

Pinkham says she was touched by the support she received from those inside the paddock during her extended absence.

She added: “I got amazing support from within the sport.

“You do sort of think: ‘Oh, God, it’s rolling on without me.’ But it’s not like that. Everybody gathers you up and looks after you and care about you.

“I think that is because everybody recognises we all make sacrifices to be involved in the sport. You leave your family and kids and home life.

“It’s not as glamorous as it looks, so there’s a sense of community for sure.

“Loads of people say: ‘Oh, aren’t they all so arrogant?’ They’re not.

“They’re actually incredibly modest and down to earth. People think it’s an individual sport but in reality it’s the ultimate team sport.

“Everyone has to pull together if you want the perfect result because just fractions of seconds separate everyone on the grid.

“You have to bring your A game every week. It’s a huge amount of pressure.”

Additional reporting by Alex Spink

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