Fitness guru Richard Simmons hospitalised

Fitness guru Richard Simmons has been taken to hospital after complaining of severe indigestion.

Spokesman Michael Catalano has told ABC News US his client has been taken to an undisclosed hospital in California, “After a few days of battling severe indigestion and discomfort while eating”. His condition has since improved and he is expected to fully recover.

The normally energetic personality first developed an interest in fitness after being obese as a teen. He appeared on a number of television shows, from General Hospital to CHiPs and Saturday Night Live, but is well known for his own, The Richard Simmons Show, as well as the range of aerobics videos he has produced.

Read more: A look back at aerobics in the 80s. 

The spotlight has been on Simmons, 68, recently after a podcast was released investigating his sudden and unexplained retreat from the public eye in 2014.“Missing Richard Simmons”, was developed by US filmmaker Dan Taberski. It was released three years after the fitness personality’s disappearance. Over the years there were rumours he was being held hostage by his housekeeper, later denied when Simmons gave an audio interview. 

Earlier this year LAPD detectives also visited his him to conduct a welfare check but later issued a statement saying he was perfectly fine.

Mr Catalano insists Mr Simmons simply wanted a break from the spotlight, and Simmons has spoken to media last year saying no-one should be worried about him.

However earlier this month came signs Simmons was looking to return, after signing a business deal for merchandising, endorsements and licensing opportunities.

Did you ever do any of the Richard Simmons aerobics routines for fitness?