Jamie Dornan was hospitalised in Portugal last year after brush with toxic caterpillar

Renowned actor Jamie Dornan found himself in the hospital with heart attack-like symptoms after a golf trip last year in Portugal, where he came in contact with a toxic caterpillar. The revelation came from Dornan's friend, Gordon Smart, during an appearance on BBC's The Good, the Bad and the Unexpected radio show.

Smart detailed how both men experienced racing hearts and arm discomfort following their golf outing in Portugal. The cause of their health scare was traced back to a likely encounter with a processionary caterpillar on the golf course.

“It turns out that there are caterpillars on golf courses in the south of Portugal that have been killing people’s dogs and giving men in their 40s heart attacks,” Smart disclosed on the radio show.

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Processionary caterpillars are known to have tiny hairs containing a toxic protein that can lead to itching, rashes, eye irritation, sore throat, and difficulty breathing in both humans and animals, according to information from the Entomology Department at the University of Florida.

Smart humorously recounted the incident, stating, "It turns out we brushed up against processionary caterpillars and had been very lucky to come out of that one alive."

He concluded, "So there’s my story. The good news is it wasn’t a caffeine overdose, it wasn’t a hangover. It was a poisonous, toxic caterpillar."

The Fifty Shades of Grey star was last seen in Heart of Stone as Parker and A Haunting in Venice as Dr Leslie Ferrier. He also plays a pivotal role in the drama thriller television series The Tourist, which also stars Danielle Macdonald, Victoria Haralabidou, and Shalom Brune-Franklin.