Rachael Ray Says She ‘Had a Couple Bad Falls’ Recently in Rare Health Update Amid Concerns

Rachael Ray said that she had “had a couple bad falls” recently while sharing a rare health update amid concerns from fans.

“I am a homemaker. I love chores, I love being in the kitchen. I always work with my brain every day, I’m always writing something,” Rachael, 56, said during the debut episode of her podcast, “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead,” on Tuesday, October 22. “But I really like chores. I like what people consider physical work. I like making dinners, planning dinners, making lists.”

After noting that she likes “helping carry in the wood,” Rachael admitted she recently had to take a break from that task. “I’ve had a couple of bad falls in the last couple of weeks, so I haven’t been doing that in a while,” she told guest Jenny Mollen.

Despite revealing that she has suffered falls, Rachael didn’t elaborate on the situation.

While she isn’t currently able to help carry up wood, Rachael explained that she likes to turn the specific chore into a friendly competition with her husband, John Cusimano.

“How many pieces of wood did John carry? Can I carry more?” she said about her mindset, adding that John, 57, isn’t aware of the ongoing competition. “I just say that to myself.”

The chef shared the rare update more than one month after fans expressed their concern when she slurred her words in a Rachael Ray in Tuscany video posted via social media in September. In the clip, Rachael shared a story about her late friend Tony Bennett as she explained how to make ossobuco, which was one of his favorite dishes.

Fans noticed that she took multiple pauses as she told a story, which led many to express their concerns for her health in the comments section.

“I think it’s a mini stroke. Part of her mouth seems [to be] sinking. When was this???? I haven’t seen her this makes me so sad,” one person commented. Another chimed in, “What the heck is wrong with her? Messy hair, slurring words….wow just wow …”

Others pointed out that she looked different and appeared more “puffy” than usual.

However, several fans defended Rachael in the comments section and slammed those who made nasty comments about her. “I don’t hear any slurring but she has compassion in her telling of the story. She’s a good person and her vibes are good,” an additional social media user added.

Despite causing concern among fans, Rachael has not publicly addressed the speculation regarding her health. It’s possible that she will share more insight on her podcast, which she first announced on October 15.

“‘I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead’ (quite literally!) is about life’s journeys and what keeps us going,” she said in a statement about her latest project. “It’s unscripted, raw and real talk. Working fuels me, connecting with people fuels me, and this platform allows for connection and conversation on a more personal level, which really fuels me.”

The podcast comes after Rachael concluded her talk show, Rachael Ray, after 17 seasons in the spring of 2023.