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80s music star Annie Lennox, 70, soared to global stardom with her iconic track Sweet Dreams alongside Eurythmics, yet has faced numerous health challenges away from the spotlight. Her rise to prominence with Dave Stewart during the 1980s was meteoric, though her post-fame journey has been far from plain sailing. The vocalist admitted she'd been grappling with complications stemming from an operation she'd had more than ten years prior. A few years on, Annie has now disclosed that she's neurodivergent following a recent ADHD diagnosis. Speaking candidly about her condition on BBC Women's Hour, she told host Nuala McGovern that she'd aced the assessment. "I'm a magpie, I observe things, I'm highly sensitive," Annie revealed on the BBC Radio 4 programme. "And I found out that I actually am a bit neurodivergent. And it's explained a great deal to me about how my mind works and how other people with ADHD, how their mind works. "It's not an easy thing to live with but it's also a superpower. I think it does bring brilliance - I'm not saying that I am brilliant, but I'll take that!", reports the Mirror . Back in 2019, Annie shared details about her health struggles with supporters, disclosing she'd undergone spinal surgery years earlier. "Over a decade ago I had to have a back operation and a lot of things changed after that," she revealed. "Long story.. but I occasionally suffer from excruciating nerve pain, which comes in with vengeance when I least expect it.", reports the Express. "It hit over New Year and I'm hoping it will settle down as I go into the 3rd day." Several days following her original message, she disclosed that touring was no longer possible due to "such physical challenges". The ordeal began in 2008 during an AIDS conference in Mexico, where the performer suffered a back spasm. Annie was swiftly transported back to London for spinal surgery to address a trapped nerve, a Sony BMG spokesperson confirmed. A trapped nerve occurs when surrounding muscles, bones, cartilage or tendons apply excessive pressure to a nerve, typically causing pain, tingling, numbness or weakness. Despite the surgical intervention, she has continued to battle persistent pain. During her recovery, the star wrote on her blog: "Got an MRI scan this morning and am now sitting up in bed with my left foot like a dead fish." She confessed to the Scotsman that she had developed a limp, though she remained positive, saying it "ain't bad" given her initial fears of being "permanently disabled" following the back pain episode in Mexico. Nerve pain, known medically as peripheral neuropathy according to the NHS, refers to disease or dysfunction affecting one or more "peripheral" nerves. Various forms of peripheral neuropathy exist, including motor neuropathy which commonly impacts the legs and may result in a limp. Signs of this ailment encompass twitching and muscle spasms, muscle weakness or paralysis impacting muscles and muscle wasting. While Annie didn't reveal the exact nature of her neuropathy, these symptoms seem to mirror her experiences. Another symptom is foot drop, a condition characterised by difficulty in lifting the front part of your foot or toes. Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter.
