Marty Wilde’s irregular heartbeat fixed itself just before shock therapy

Marty Wilde has told how his irregular heartbeat corrected itself just moments before he was due to have electric shock therapy.

The godfather of British rock was about to have a ­cardioversion on Friday when an ­anaesthetist told him his organ was beating normally.

The 81-year-old said: “The surgeon said sometimes this can happen. I was ­staggered. They’re going to review the situation in a month’s time, but I’m relieved.

“I’ll celebrate in the best way I know, writing more songs. I’m particularly looking forward to telling the Wildcats they won’t need another lead singer after all.”

The Mirror reported in July that Marty collapsed twice at his ­Hertfordshire home during lockdown.

It was caused by a recurrence of the atrial fibrillation he first suffered six years ago.

AF is an ­irregular and often fast heart rhythm caused by a malfunction in the heart’s electrical pathways. ­Cardioversion is carried out under general ­anaesthetic.

A ­defibrillator delivers a small shock through gel pads to get the heart back into the right rhythm.

Marty was due to have his at The Harley Street Clinic in Central London.

He later returned home to his wife of 60 years, Joyce, 79. He added: ‘The surgeon said if this is a temporary ­situation it would be better for me to have the same operation I had six years ago called an ablation, where they alter the electrics in the heart.”

The singer found fame with hits such as Endless Sleep in 1958, Donna,1959 and A Teenager in Love that same year.

He also wrote songs for daughter Kim Wilde with his writer/producer son Ricky, including Kids in America.

Marty’s album, Running Together, celebrating eight decades in music, is out on October 2. He said: “It’s a family affair with my daughter Roxanne accompanying me on vocals, along with Kim singing across some of the tracks. I am going to be as busy as I’ve ever been.”