'I should have died' - James Taylor 10 years on
Test Match Special
BBC
4.4 • 2.3K Ratings
🗓️ 15 April 2026
⏱️ 26 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
10 years ago former England batter James Taylor's life changed forever.
Reflecting on being taken ill 10 years ago, he speaks to Kevin Howells about what he remembers from the day his doctor told him to not "wait for an ambulance, you haven't got enough time". He had just cemented himself in England's Test side and was forced to retire at the age of 26.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, radio, podcasts. |
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| 0:43.7 | You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. |
| 0:46.0 | Hello, I'm Kevin Howells. |
| 0:52.2 | Welcome to the TMS podcast, where I speak to a man who, in his own words, said he should have died. |
| 0:55.6 | Former England batter James Taylor was forced to retire from cricket in 2016 because of a condition called a rhythmic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. |
| 1:04.7 | Now we chatted 10 years on from being taken ill during a pre-season match for Nottinghamshire. |
| 1:09.7 | You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. |
| 1:15.3 | I began our conversation by asking James what he could actually remember of that day in Cambridge. |
| 1:21.3 | Oh, do you know what? I think it might have been the second morning of the game. |
| 1:24.8 | I think it was the 6th of April, 2016-2016-ish. |
| 1:30.8 | I mean, I should really know that, |
... |
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