Brits die every three minutes from silent killer as TV star unveils new campaign to fight

Rivals star Lisa McGrillis unveiled a giant 8ft-tall hour glass that highlights how a Brit dies every three minutes from cardiovascular disease - the same amount of time it takes to make a brew.

The installation was unveiled in London Southbank by the actress and her friend Mary Cann, in partnership with the British Heart Foundation, after Mary's husband Nigel died from a heart attack last year.

The powerful new campaign highlights the fact that every three minutes someone in the UK dies from cardiovascular disease.

This is the same brief amount of time it takes Brits to do everyday activities such as brushing their teeth, making a cup of tea or taking the bins out.

The campaign is launching ahead of World Heart Day [29 September] to raise awareness as UK cardiovascular deaths have risen by nearly a fifth in working-age adults this decade.

It comes as a survey commissioned by the charity revealed the dangerous misconceptions about heart health currently held by Brits.

Of those quizzed, two-fifths (42 per cent) believe that heart disease symptoms appear suddenly - similar to how they are portrayed in films or on TV. One in five (21%) think it's only those aged 60+ who are at risk of heart disease, despite new data showing cardiovascular death rates have been rising in younger, working-age adults.

Brits are hesitant to discuss heart health with a professional, with 42% admitting they've never discussed heart health with a professional. The survey revealed women are less likely to discuss their heart health than men.

In addition, almost two-thirds (64%) of Brits are unsure whether women experience different heart disease symptoms from men. While heart health knowledge may be lacking, the survey found that two-thirds of Brits (67%) personally know someone who has experienced heart disease.

Lisa McGrillis, who plays Valerie Jones in Rivals, ran the London Marathon this year alongside her best friend Mary Cann, following the sudden death of Mary's husband Nigel from heart disease last year.

Nigel was just 47 and on his way to play padel when his heart stopped one Tuesday evening with seemingly no warning. In his memory, Lisa and Mary raised more than £19,500 for British Heart Foundation, smashing their original target by 779%.

Lisa said: "I remember when Mary told me what had happened to Nigel, I was completely shocked.

"There'd been no warning signs and he hadn't been unwell. Sadly, heart disease often strikes like this.

"There's so much misunderstanding around heart health and it's on all of us to learn more about it.

"Unveiling the British Heart Foundation's timer is a real privilege - it's a way to make the invisible killer that is heart disease a little bit more visible."

The campaign launches ahead of World Heart Day as the British Heart Foundation reveals the UK's heart health has declined more quickly at the start of the 2020s than in any other decade for more than 50 years.

Deaths from cardiovascular disease in working-age adults rose by 18% from 18,693 in 2019 to 21,975 in 2023.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This striking timer paints a stark picture of the devastating impact of cardiovascular disease.

"The sad reality is that today, and every day, around 480 families across the UK will lose a loved one to a cardiovascular condition like a heart attack or stroke.

"We've seen the worst start to a decade for heart health in 50 years, with numbers of cardiovascular deaths in working-age adults rising for the first time in a generation.

"We know how much it matters and we know we can make a difference.

"We're determined to give people more time with their loved ones by powering an era of immense scientific opportunity to give people healthier hearts for longer."

The BHF's new strategy focuses on three key priorities. This includes reimagining prevention through advances in data science and AI, significantly increasing investment in UK cardiovascular research and ensuring health systems radically improve care for people with heart conditions.

By 2035, the charity wants the UK to prevent at least 125,000 heart attacks and strokes, reduce early deaths from cardiovascular disease by 25% and reduce the number of years lost to heart-related ill health by a quarter.