Jamie Dornan, star of the Fifty Shades of Grey saga, and Gordon Smart, a friend of his, had a terrible medical scare in Portugal while playing golf. Both were taken to hospital with heart-attack-like symptoms.
They later discovered that their experience was due to… a toxic caterpillar.
Jamie Dornan hospitalized with ‘heart attack symptoms’ after run-in with toxic caterpillars https://t.co/sOXAYR8TaN pic.twitter.com/LkmYBYjuZT
— Page Six (@PageSix) January 22, 2024
Smart felt tingling in his left arm and hand, and initially thought he’d had a heart attack. After a day of golf and a drunken evening, he thought his symptoms were the result of excessive drinking, he confided to the BBC.
A week after their return, the doctors asked the two men if they had been in contact with caterpillars…
These caterpillars, found in southern Portugal, are covered in tiny hairs containing thaumetopoein. This irritating protein can cause skin, eye and throat irritation, rashes and, in some cases, severe allergic reactions. The symptoms of these caterpillars can be distressing, even fatal in some cases.
Dornan has yet to comment, but Smart’s revelation reminds us that even on a relaxing vacation, the most serious threats can come from unexpected sources!