Max George has revealed he will undergo open heart surgery to have a pacemaker fitted.
The Wanted star, 36, took to social media on Saturday to give an update after revealing earlier this week he was in hospital with an undiagnosed heart condition.
After doctors ran further tests, Max revealed he will need to fitted with the device that stops the heart from beating too slowly after they found an issue with the ‘bottom part of his heart’.
Pointing to his chest, he said: ‘So latest is that 100 per cent I’m going to have a little friend put in here at some point.
‘Erm, I’ve got an issue with the bottom part of my heart, it’s called a block. The tricky bit is what I have put in because until I have further tests we don’t know what caused it.’
The Glad You Came hitmaker noted it is all a ‘mystery’ what has happened to him, although doctors have been able to eliminate some possible causes.
Max, who has battled alcoholism previously, said: ‘We’ve cancelled out a few things, like alcohol for example I’ve not had a drink for four-and-a-half years so it’s not that.
Max George has revealed that he needs a pacemaker following his emergency hospital dash earlier this week
On Saturday, he explained on Instagram that he would need to be fitted with the device that stops the heart from beating too slowly
‘It’s a bit of a mystery really, but that’s the hard bit. It’s the waiting. My heart rate is really, really low. They’re monitoring it 24/7, everyone has been amazing.
‘But the waiting bit is tough. It’s just one of them things unfortunately. Whatever I get, I’ve got to get on with it. We’re hoping pacemaker, a pacemaker is good.’
On Friday, the singer shared he had had a ‘rough day’ in hospital. He said: ‘I’ve had a bit of a rough day today.
‘My heart rate dropped this morning, which was a little bit scary. But everyone here’s amazing and they managed to get it back up a little bit and get it stable again, which is great.
‘A lot of friends and family are asking why I’m not just going in and having anything done yet, but there’s so many tests that need to be done before we do anything.’
‘I just need to get through to next week and have all the tests done, then they’ll know exactly what to do.’
Max concluded his message by noting he is determined to stay positive amid the ordeal.
He said: ‘Obviously they’ll be able to do something but it’ll be better doing it with all the information they need. But year, it’s s**** But still here and staying positive.’
He said: ‘It’s a bit of a mystery really, but that’s the hard bit. It’s the waiting. My heart rate is really, really low. They’re monitoring it 24/7, everyone has been amazing.’
Max revealed he’s suffered another heart scare as he issued an update from his hospital bed on Friday evening and told fans he’s ‘had a rough day’
The singer admitted he is ‘very lucky that this was caught when it was’ as he shared the shocking health update from hospital, showing a heart monitor across his chest
The Wanted stars Siva Kaneswaran, Nathan Sykes, Tom Parker – who passed away in March 2022 – Max and Jay McGuiness pictured in 2021
In his initial post to Instagram, Max – who is dating former EastEnders actress Maisie Smith – revealed he will be spending Christmas in hospital.
He wrote on Instagram: ‘Yesterday I felt really unwell and was taken in to hospital. Unfortunately after some tests they’ve found that I have some issues with my heart.
‘I have a lot more tests to determine the extent of the problems and what surgery I will need to get me back on my feet.
‘It’s gonna be a difficult few weeks / months… and Christmas in a hospital bed wasn’t exactly what I had planned!
‘But, as always, I’m surrounded with love and support from my wonderful partner Maisie, her family, my family and friends.. and I’m 100% in the best place.
‘Although this is a huge shock and no doubt a set back, it’s something I’ll take on with all I’ve got! I count myself very lucky that this was caught when it was.
‘Apologies if I bore you with updates in the coming weeks..I’ve probably got a month in a bed and there’s not THAT much to do!’
Max has been open about his battle with binge drinking and alcoholism over the years, previously admitting he drank ’10 pints and three bottles of wine in one night‘.
Last year, the singer revealed he used alcohol to ‘adapt’ to the spotlight and to help ease his anxiety during his ‘lowest ever point.’
He referenced one incident in which he consumed 10 pints and three bottles of wine in one night while out celebrating his birthday.
The binge contained roughly 38 units of alcohol. The NHS advises that men and women don’t consume more than 14 units across the space of a week.
Speaking about his drinking on Channel 4’s Scared Of The Dark, he said: ‘I would always be p***ed before we performed. I struggled to adapt so I used to drink to make myself feel like it didn’t bother me.
‘It’s quite hard sometimes to differentiate between the anxiety and depression but mine was certainly more the anxiety side which started when the boys got to number one with All Time Low.’
Referencing his birthday binge session, he confessed: ‘I was ill for a week. The doctor looked at my liver and said my liver count was pretty low, I’m not messing with my liver. So I stopped.’
He added that he was also inspired to stop drinking after learning of late bandmate Tom Parker’s stage four glioblastoma diagnosis.
Tom died aged 33 on March 30, 2022 following an 18-month battle with brain cancer.
Breaking down in tears, he confessed to Paul: ‘How do you deal with it? There’s no cure for that so you just sort of learn to carry on with your life I guess. But deal with it, definitely not.
‘I don’t—I don’t think I’ll ever be okay with it you know. One of the last things I said to him was— I thanked him for making my life so much better than what it ever could have been, you know, like that whole journey through being in the band.
‘He was my best friend. F**k. I just don’t want it to be like a burden or a thing with anyone else.’
Max previously revealed that sobriety has made life clearer, despite leaving him ‘really bored at weekends’.
He said in March last year: ‘I haven’t drunk in 18 months, everyone says “I bet you feel well better don’t you?”
‘No, I just feel really bored at weekends! Just grim as usual through the week. It has been good, it’s easier to keep fit… so yeah, everything’s pretty clear now.’
Max George’s shocked showbiz pals and his actress girlfriend pray for stricken star in emotional tributes
Max has been open about his battle with binge drinking and alcoholism over the years, previously admitting he drank ’10 pints and three bottles of wine in one night’
The Wanted released a statement in January 2014 to announce they were taking time apart to ‘pursue personal endeavors’.
Max’s bandmate Tom was given just 12 months to live by doctors in October 2020, before his death in 2022.
Max has been in a relationship with EastEnders star Maisie Smith, 23, since 2022.
The pair were due to play a married couple in Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War Of The Worlds, which will tour in 2025.
The year after he performed on Strictly, Max was invited on the dance show’s nationwide tour which was when he struck up a romance with co-star Maisie.
In 2022, he was forced to defend their 13 age-gap, telling Hello! ‘It never enters my mind. Maisie has already done so many things that I’m in awe of – I look up to her.’
Max and Siva reformed the group earlier this year a decade after the boyband’s split.
Last year, the singer revealed he used alcohol to ‘adapt’ to the spotlight and to help ease his anxiety during his ‘lowest ever point’
He added that he was also inspired to stop drinking after learning of Tom’s (pictured) stage four glioblastoma diagnosis
Max has been in a relationship with EastEnders star Maisie Smith since 2022
After Jay McGuiness and Nathan Sykes chose not to join, Max and Siva joined forces as a duo in April, embarking on a tour as the Wanted 2.0.
The Wanted released a statement in January 2014 to announce they were taking time apart to ‘pursue personal endeavours’.
Max and Siva announced last week they will be headlining their very first UK headline show as The Wanted 2.0 in Manchester Cathedral.
They also announced they are headlining ten dates in 2025 with the UK’s biggest food and music festival.
Following Max’s health scare, it is unclear whether the duo will be going along with their tour.