Gordon Ramsay urges cyclists to wear helmets after showing injuries from 'really bad accident'

Warning: This article contains media that some readers may find distressing

Gordon Ramsay has urged cyclists to think safety first and always wear a helmet after revealing he has been left shaken by a "really bad accident".

The celebrity chef, 57, who fronts the Kitchen Nightmares programme, shared photos of his clothes being torn and helmet crushed while biking in Connecticut in the US.

In an Instagram video on Saturday, he showed a purple bruise which appeared to cover a significant portion of his chest.

While his hands were shaking, Ramsay said: "Hey guys, it's Gordon. I'd like to share a very important message with you all.

"You know how much I love cycling and triathlons and Ironman [races] etc and this week, unfortunately, I had a really bad accident and it really shook me and honestly I'm lucky to be here.

"Those incredible trauma surgeons, doctors, nurses in the hospitals looked after me this week, they were amazing, but honestly you've got to wear helmets.

"I don't care how short the journey is. I don't care… these helmets cost money, but they're crucial, even with a kid's short journey, they've got to wear a helmet now.

"I'm lucky to be standing here. I'm in pain. It's been a brutal week. And I'm sort of getting through it."

He added that it was a "massive" weekend due to Father's Day, which takes place on Sunday.

Ramsay also captioned the post, writing that he was "doing OK and did not break any bones or suffer any major injuries, but I am a bit bruised up looking like a purple potato".

He added that he was treated at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, Connecticut, and the helmet "saved" his life.

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