SHANE Warne had just finished an “extreme” 14-day liquid diet before he died of a suspected heart attack, his manager has said.
The cricket legend declared he was taking on “operation shred” just four days before his death in Thailand on Friday.
Shane Warn told his Instagram followers he was taking on ‘operation shred’ in the week before he died
The cricketing legend wanted to get back in shape for summer
The Aussie hero, 52, revealed he was planning to get back in shape for summer, sharing a throwback picture of himself on Instagram last week to show how he wanted to look.
Alongside the snap, he wrote: “Operation shred has started (10 days in) & the goal by July is to get back to this shape from a few years ago ! Let’s go.”
Warne’s long-time manager James Erskine revealed on Sunday the drastic measures he had taken to trim down and at the time of his death, said he had only recently finished an extreme and “ridiculous” cleanse.
It comes as…
- Shane Warne complained about chest pains and saw a doctor about his heart just weeks before tragic death
- The cricketing legend spent his final hours buying suit & having massage
- Paramedic ‘so sorry’ he couldn’t save Warne’s life as he and pals battled to revive him
- Forensic cops examine Shane Warne’s luxury Thai villa after confirming cricket legend’s death is not suspicious
He told Weekend Today: “He did go on these ridiculous sorts of diets and he just finished one, where he basically only ate fluids for 14 days and he’d done this three or four times.”
He added: “It was a bit all or nothing.
“It was either white buns with butter and lasagne stuffed in the middle, or he would be having black and green juices.
“He obviously smoked most of his life [but] I don’t know, I think it was just a massive heart attack. That’s what I think has happened.”
The Aussie sporting hero, 52, was found unresponsive in his room by pal Andrew Neophitou at the luxury villa they were staying on Friday.
Thai police have since confirmed they have ruled out any suspicious circumstances.
Officers also cited information from the cricketer’s family confirming he had asthma and heart issues, with Superintendent Yuttana Sirisombat confirming Warne had experienced chest pains before his death and “had seen a doctor about his heart”.
Warne’s body was picked up from a local hospital this morning in a motorcade flanked by the Australian ambassador and local police officers.
He will be taken by ferry to Surathani hospital on the mainland where an official autopsy will be performed.
His family have accepted the offer of a state funeral when his body is repatriated to Australia.
Follow our Shane Warne blog for live updates on his death
It comes as manager James Erskine shed light on the sportsman’s final moments in Fox Sport special, Remembering Shane Warne.
He said the group were due to go for drinks at 5pm when pal Andrew Neophitou knocked on his door and realised “something was wrong”.
James added: “He went in there and said ‘come on, you’re going to be late’ and then realised something was wrong.
“And he turned him over and gave him CPR and mouth to mouth, which lasted about 20 minutes and then the ambulance came.
“They took him to the hospital, which was about a 20-minute drive and I got a phone call about 45 minutes later saying he was pronounced dead.”
Warne had spent the day watching Australia’s Test cricketers take on Pakistan from bedroom before the tragedy unfolded.
He was given a Thai massage at the village at around 4pm and “looked lively and happy” when it was finished.
Cops released pictures of the room as forensics teams continued their work at the £2,000-a-night villa.
‘DESPERATE’
Paramedic Anuch Han-iam told SE on Sunday: “Shane’s friends were already trying to bring him back to life.
“I took over doing CPR while we waited for an ambulance.
“They were desperate. I think one was crying. They were really stressed and panicked.
“They kept trying to wake him and I heard someone saying, ‘Come on, Shane. Come on, Shane’.
“I did my best for him and gave all my energy. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t help him.”
Tributes have flooded in for the cricket ace led by his ex-fiancee Liz Hurley.
The actress was in a relationship with Warne for three years until they split in 2013.
She said: “I feel like the sun has gone behind a cloud forever. RIP my beloved Lionheart.”
Piers Morgan branded his close pal “unique, ferocious, mischievous” in his column for SE.
He added: “I’m absolutely gutted he’s gone so soon and will miss him enormously.
“But I enjoyed every second of my hundreds of hours in his exhilarating, unpredictable and always entertaining company, and of how many people in life can you say that?”
Warne’s body is moved to Surathani hospital where an autopsy will be performed
The cricketer had been on holiday with friends when the horror unfolded
He was having a lie down in the villa when a pal discovered him unresponsive
Police have now ruled out foul play
His family has accepted a state funeral
