Joe Swash battled brain illness in intensive care which led to Eastenders axe and bankruptcy
Joe Swash spent two weeks in intensive care after suffering from a rare illness, it has emerged.The 38 year old, who shot to fame on EastEnders, was forced to take a three month long break from the BBC soap in 2005 as he had to learn to talk and move again. He spent six weeks in hospital with the rare virus meningoencephalitis, which also left him battling meningitis and encephalitis, a swelling of the brain.