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<\/p>\nFORMER Sky Sports presenter Dave Clark has opened up about his Parkinson's battle.<\/p>\n
The popular host, 56, covered darts and boxing for over 20 years on Sky.<\/p>\n
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In 2011 everything changed, however, when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's.<\/p>\n
Appearing on GMB he opened on how he discovered his illness, explaining: "My right hand was quite slow. I walked past a shop window and my arm wasn't swinging. I thought 'what's going on here?'<\/p>\n
"I felt a bit flat, I thought I had a shoulder problem. I went to see a physio and he said 'it's not physiological it's neurological'.<\/p>\n
"So a bit of a shock to the system. I went to a neuro specialist, they asked me how old my kids were.<\/p>\n
"I said 'seven and four' at the time. He asked me if I had a big mortgage, I did. And he said 'you've got Parkinson's'.<\/p>\n "I said 'how long am I going to be able to work for?' He said 'three or four years'."<\/p>\n Clark defied the odds, however, continuing to be a fans' favourite on Sky for another decade.<\/p>\n "I did ten years of presenting live sport," he continued.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n "World heavyweight title fights, everything. So I'm really proud of that."<\/p>\n Asked about how his dad's experience with Parkinson's helped him tackle his own diagnosis, Clark opened up about his father's difficulties.<\/p>\n Clark continued: "He got really depressed, he had to give up work.<\/p>\n "He was a sales rep in Bradford and people were accusing him of turning up drunk to meetings, so a really sad time.<\/p>\n "Because of his symptoms he got depressed and ended up taking his own life when I was a teenager, so it wasn't the best start for me, with my diagnosis.<\/p>\n "I had memories… I saw Parkinson's, the worst of Parkinson's, take away the best of my dad and it was a really sad time.<\/p>\n "When I was diagnosed, I used my dad as a blueprint. I'd do everything the opposite to what he did. He locked himself away, I went public.<\/p>\n "But I kept it secret for two-and-a-half years because I thought people were going to think of me disabled and I was worried I was going to lose my job.<\/p>\n "I had to work because I needed to pay that big mortgage. So I carried on for ten years and I'm really proud of that."<\/p>\n During his brave interview, host Susanna Reid labelled Clark an "inspiration" and a "real hero".<\/p>\n And viewers agreed, with one writing on social media: "Dave Clark is a genuine inspiration. If the world was full of people like him, it would be a far better place."<\/p>\n A second called him an "amazing man".<\/p>\n While a third added: "An inspiration to all. A fantastic human being. Really put things into perspective. Love to you and your family Dave."<\/p>\n Clark has to take medication every three hours for his condition, and hopes that one day a cure will be found.<\/p>\n He told the PA News earlier this year: "Hopefully we will find a cure. But it robs your ability to talk, walk and smile and you become incontinent.<\/p>\n "It\u2019s pretty serious, you end up not in a good state. That\u2019s the bottom line.<\/p>\n "They always say five years\u2019 time, but it has been five years for the last 30. They will find a cure eventually but it might be too late for me."<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/crop-24963758.jpg\")
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