Broadcasting legend Leighton Smith is recovering from a heart attack and says he has learned his lesson after waiting several hours and attending a brunch before seeking medical help.

The 76-year-old former Newstalk ZB host told his podcast listeners today that he’d woken at 3am on Saturday, March 25, with “uncomfortableness in the chest”.

“I knew it was to do with the rather hot curry we’d had for dinner the night before,” he said. “And it appeared to me to be in the esophagus. I couldn’t get back to sleep. As time went by, it sort of developed across the top of the chest. And I wondered what it might be, not wanting to think what some people would think was the obvious. So I didn’t get back to sleep at all.”

The pain eased enough for him to and his wife, producer Carolyn Leaney, to head to a brunch with friends later that morning, but as he got up to leave, he knew he needed to get checked.

At a local health clinic, now around midday, he was checked by a doctor, who told him he needed to get to North Shore Hospital.

“So we went to North Shore Hospital via home, which was stupid I was told (later). We drove down there even though he encouraged us to take an ambulance. On admission, the same tests were done and a couple of other things were added to it. And a while later, the doctor came along and said, ‘You’re not going anywhere. You’ve had a heart attack’. And I was there for the next four nights.”

Smith has received two stents and says his prognosis is now “almost perfect”.

He said he was conscious for the operation, which he described as an adventure. It was fascinating “but I’d be happy not to be fascinated again”.

He said he had received advice “rather forcefully” from medical experts - and one friend in particular - that he should “avoid stress and stop working to deadlines”.

“So there will be a few adjustments in lifestyle. Apart from that I learned that I was silly not to respond more quickly to what I was feeling in the first place. Then not going directly to the hospital and then not going in an ambulance directly to hospital.”

He said he had learned his lesson. “A word of advice for anybody who may not have had any experience along these lines at all, as I had not. If you get an unexplained pain in the chest, or any of the associated areas like the jaw, act on it immediately. Do not stuff about.”

Smith said the cardiology staff at North Shore Hospital were fabulous. “They are understaffed and we know who is responsible for that.”

“And one last thank you, a very big one, to my beautiful wife, who has shown herself determined to keep me around for a long time.”

Radio producer, Carolyn Leaney and husband, former Newstalk ZB host Leighton Smith. Photo / Michael Craig

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