S'pore actor Richard Low reveals recent hospital stay due to incurable colon condition, but his health 'okay for now'

Mediacorp actor Richard Low has revealed that the health scare which landed him in the hospital back in May 2026 was caused by a colon condition.

The 74-year-old was previously hospitalised for six days after suddenly losing control of his bowel and bladder functions.

"Okay for now"

In an interview with Lianhe Zaobao, Low said his health is "okay for now".

He shared that his recent hospitalisation was caused by diverticular disease, a condition in which small pouch-like sacs develop in the wall of the large intestine.

In his case, the condition led to intestinal bleeding.

"When I got up in the morning and went to the toilet, I saw blood in my stool. I immediately thought: 'This is bad,'" Low recalled.

"I had a bad feeling that the same thing that happened 20 years ago might be happening again."

The actor revealed that he had suffered from the same condition two decades earlier, making the symptoms immediately recognisable.

Despite this, the actor said he initially felt fine.

"I was feeling okay at the time, and I even filmed a video for 'The OG Gang' (with actors Chen Shucheng and Zhu Houren). Around 3pm or 4pm, I asked my wife to accompany me to the hospital."

Doctors later discovered that diverticulitis had caused a perforation in his intestine, resulting in continuous bleeding.

Low also revealed that he lost 5kg during his hospital stay.

"For the first three days, I had to undergo various tests, so I wasn't allowed to eat anything. I didn't have much of an appetite anyway," he said. "Over the next few days, I could only consume liquids."

According to Low, the condition cannot be completely cured.

Instead, he has to manage it by watching his diet and avoiding fried food and alcohol to reduce the risk of another flare-up.

Upcoming project

The actor's next project is the upcoming Mediacorp drama "Old & Dangerous", which is set to premiere on Jul. 27.

It follows five former elite special forces operatives in their 70s who reunite for a special mission, with Low starring alongside Chen Shucheng, Zhu Houren, Wang Yuqing and Li Wen Hai.

The drama is expected to air on weekdays at 9pm on Channel 8, and will also be available on mewatch.