Matchroom boss Barry Hearn has described his first heart attack as one of the 'funniest moments' of his life due to his wife's reaction. Hearn, who has been a significant figure in various sports since the 1970s, is known for bringing darts and snooker into the spotlight through the , where he served as chairman until 2021.

He also built an impressive reputation as a promoter alongside son Eddie. On podcast, the 76-year-old was asked about his health issues, having suffered two heart attacks - one in 2002 and another in 2020.

He responded with a darkly humorous comment, stating that his wife's failure to grasp the seriousness of the situation during his first heart attack was incredibly funny.

"I enjoyed both of them," Hearn revealed. "They were quite good experiences. They were funny. I grew up with my father being ill, so I wasn't unaccustomed to it. I had my first heart attack at four o'clock in the morning twenty-odd years ago, which was one of the funniest moments of my life because I tapped my wife on the shoulder and said I could hardly breathe.

"You know? Get me an ambulance. I'm having a heart attack. And she said to me, let's give it twenty minutes and see how you go. She doesn't like using the phone, my wife. 'Oh, dear', she said. Now, I can't dial 999 and I can hardly talk. I'm saying: 'Why? Why can't you?'

"'But it's only for emergencies.' I'm like, 'What? What? ! ' But looking back on it, it was just like, no. No. We don't have that. You know? Look after yourself. She's very, very single-minded," Hearn reflected.

The Matchroom founder then went on to discuss the second incident, which he found less daunting than the first, revealing his lack of fear towards death.

"The second one was easy, easy peasy. You know? Just went in and they stick a few more stents in and turn you out," Hearn continued. "I'm not gonna spend one second of my life worrying about anything like that because I believe in the almighty. I believe that fate is already there.

"And when it's my time to go, if it's tomorrow, I'll go with Grace. I hope it's not for years and years and years and years because I'm enjoying myself too much, but it's not my decision. So therefore, if it's not my decision and I can't influence it, I'm not gonna worry about it."

Hearn's grandfather tragically died at 44 due to heart issues, and his father also suffered - but this has only spurred the sports promoter to live life to the fullest.

"When my father had his first heart attack, treatment was very different then," Hearn added. "And they said to him, there's a chair over there. Sit in that chair for three months and don't move. The world's a changing place. If you can do something about it and you don't, you're an idiot. But if you can't do anything about it, then you have to accept the reality of life."