Richard Wilkins returned to his hosting duties on Weekend Today on April 4, after testing positive for COVID-19 three times, and spending 18 days in isolation.
And on Sunday’s 60 Minutes, the 65-year-old got emotional as he recalled the burden of not knowing whether he passed the virus onto his loved ones.
‘I felt guilty, I felt ashamed, I felt scared, because it was early days,’ the Channel Nine star told journalist Liz Hayes.
‘I felt guilty and ashamed’: Richard Wilkins, 65, (pictured) broke down in a candid interview on Sunday’s 60 Minutes, as he recalled the burden of not knowing whether he passed coronavirus onto his loved ones
Richard, who showed no symptoms of coronavirus, described testing positive for the first time as ‘like a sledgehammer’.
The TV personality explained how his ‘mind went crazy’ as he imagined a worst case scenario of having passed on the virus to everyone he came into contact with.
‘I felt guilty, I felt ashamed, I felt scared, because it was early days,’ he said.
‘I felt responsible to my family, and the ripple effect kicked in. All the people I had to remember that I’d come into contact with.’
‘I felt responsible to my family, and the ripple effect kicked in’: Richard, who showed no symptoms of coronavirus, described testing positive for the first time as ‘like a sledgehammer’
Proud father: Richard was particularly devastated for his son Christian Wilkins, who was competing on Dancing With The Stars at the time
Richard was particularly devastated for his son Christian Wilkins, who was competing on Dancing With The Stars at the time.
He became tearful during the 60 Minutes interview as he recalled the fear that if he passed on the virus, it would crush Christian’s dreams of TV stardom.
‘The thought that I was going to have to call him, [tell him] his dad was crook and that he couldn’t come home, and that he may have it,’ he said.
Richard added that they ‘cried for a while’ on the phone, and decided they ‘would figure it out’.
![Family: 'The thought that I was going to have to call him, [tell him] his dad was crook and that he couldn't come home, and that he may have it,' Richard said. Christian is pictured with dance partner Lily Cornish](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/05/03/13/27948724-8282079-image-a-12_1588507974060.jpg)
Family: ‘The thought that I was going to have to call him, [tell him] his dad was crook and that he couldn’t come home, and that he may have it,’ Richard said. Christian is pictured with dance partner Lily Cornish
Ordeal: Richard self-isolated for 18 days after testing positive for COVID-19 three times
Fortunately Christian did not test positive and made it to the finale episode.
Richard self-isolated for 18 days after testing positive for COVID-19 three times.
He announced that he tested negative in March with an Instagram video, where he angrily threw an empty Corona beer box into a bin at his Sydney home.
In the accompanying caption, he wrote: ‘Coronavirus, you’re outta here! I’ve been cleared to return to work by the incredible team at NSW Health.’
Healthy: Richard returned to hosting Weekend Today on April 4, after 18 days in self-isolation
Richard went into self-isolation on March 12 shortly after it was revealed that American actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for coronavirus.
Richard had met Rita twice; once backstage at the Sydney Opera House and once during her Today Extra interview on March 9.
He first tested positive for COVID-19 on March 15 and got the same result for two more tests until Tuesday’s all-clear from NSW Health.
Famous friends: Richard went into self-isolation on March 12 shortly after it was revealed that Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for coronavirus. He is pictured with Rita backstage at the Opera House