LOS ANGELES – Jamie Foxx, an American comedian, Oscar-winning actor and Grammy-winning singer, said in a video on Instagram that he could return to work after he was hospitalised with an undisclosed illness in April.

“I know a lot of people were waiting, wanting to hear updates, but to be honest with you, I just didn’t want you to see me like that,” Foxx said, adding, “I didn’t want you to see me with tubes running out of me and trying to figure out if I was going to make it through.”

In the video, which was posted early on Saturday, Foxx did not reveal his diagnosis but said he “went to hell and back” and had to overcome “potholes” in his road to recovery.

“But I’m coming back and I’m able to work,” he said in the video.

Foxx, 55, ended a period of relative silence and widespread speculation about his health that began after he experienced a “medical complication”, according to a now-deleted statement posted to Instagram by his daughter, Corinne, multiple news outlets reported.

“Luckily, due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery,” according to the statement, which was posted on April 12.

Foxx said his family kept information about his condition “airtight” in the months after news of his hospitalisation spread, leading to heightened concern among fans and speculation online.

In May, some media outlets reported that Foxx’s family had been “preparing for the worst”.

His daughter, however, quickly dismissed those reports as false, adding that her father had been out of the hospital for weeks and had even been playing pickleball, news outlet USA Today reported.

In addressing rumours about his health that took root during his absence, the actor reminded the public that he is also a comic by mocking some of the outlandish theories.

“Some people said I was blind, but as you can see, the eyes are working,” Foxx said as he crossed his eyes.

Foxx, who was born Eric Bishop, is known for his roles in Django Unchained (2012), Ray (2004) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). He also stars in the recently released Netflix movie They Cloned Tyrone.

In 2005, Foxx won an Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of Ray Charles in Ray, and in 2010, he won a Grammy for his song Blame It with rapper T-Pain.

Foxx and Corinne, 29, are also set to host a new television game show premiering next year on Fox. NYTIMES