London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Apr 10, 2026

Antonio Banderas reveals he has tested positive for coronavirus

Antonio Banderas reveals he has tested positive for coronavirus

Antonio Banderas has tested positive for coronavirus in Malaga on his 60th birthday, he announced today.

Banderas, who is best known for his roles in Desperado and The Mask of Zorro, announced his diagnosis on social media and revealed that he was experiencing symptoms of fatigue.

The actor celebrated his girlfriend Nicole Kimpel's 40th birthday with friends a week and a half ago and shared photos of the party including a large cake on his Instagram page.

Spain is the worst-hit nation in Europe at the moment, with many of its neighbours including Italy, Germany and the UK, recommending against travelling there.

And Malaga is one of the Spanish regions that continues to be worst hit by coronavirus, recording more than 800 new cases a day last week and face masks are mandatory in public spaces indoors and outdoors.

Banderas reassured fans that he expected to make a full recovery in the near future.

The Madrid-born actor posted online: 'I feel relatively well, just a little more tired than usual'.



The news of his diagnosis comes just days after celebrating girlfriend Nicole Kimpel's 39th birthday in Malaga



The actor posed for a picture with the girlfriend Nicole's birthday cake



Spain has already been hit with new travel restrictions in a blow to its tourism-reliant economy.

The country has so far seen 314,362 confirmed infections, with cases soaring over the past week and 28,503 deaths recorded.

On Friday the Health Ministry reported 4,507 new infections -- nearly 500 more than the day before.

The data, however, does not include information from the hardest-hit region of Aragon due to technical issues.

Banderas said he was 'confident that I will recover as soon as possible' from the 'infectious process that I suffer and that is affecting so many people around the planet'.

The actor added that he would be spending his time in isolation focusing on reading, writing and resting.



Rising cases: Spain has suffered a severe spike in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, as this graph shows, while France, Germany and Italy have also seen upticks in new infections



Spain is also seeing a rise in coronavirus cases per million people 



He skipped a charity gala which he was supposed to host on Sunday in Marbella on southern Spain's Costa del Sol, not far from his Malaga hometown.

He said he would 'continue making plans to begin to give meaning to my newly released 60 years to which I arrive loaded with desire and enthusiasm'.

Banderas has homes in Spain, the US, and near Surrey in England.

The actor's work with Pedro Almodovar made him a star in Spain, before pop star Madonna introduced him to Hollywood.

He carved an illustrious career spanning more than 100 movies, with huge blockbuster success including Philadelphia, Puss in Boots, and Pain and Glory.



Banderas previously suffered a heart attack in January 2017 and credited Nicole with saving his life after giving him aspirin when he started suffering symptoms



Banderas previously suffered a heart attack in January 2017 and credited Nicole with saving his life after giving him aspirin when he started suffering symptoms.

He later underwent surgery to insert three stents in his arteries.

Banderas is the latest in a string of high-profile figures to test positive for the illness, including Tom Hanks, Idris Elba, Bryan Cranston and the singer Pink.

The Mediterranean country announced nearly 26,000 new infections in the last seven days, up from 16,000 the week before and fewer than 2,000 in late June.

Catalonia alone saw more than 5,000 cases in the space of a week, while the nearby region of Aragon had the country's highest infection rate per 100,000 people.

Despite Spain's increase in cases, only 46 virus patients were admitted to intensive care in the week up to last Friday, compared to more than 20,000 people who tested positive for the virus.

The death toll has generally remained in single figures despite the recent increase, with only 16 fatalities in the week to Thursday.

The country has a series of strict rules in place in a bid to stem an uptick in infections.

These include keeping a social distance of 1.5 metres, the mandatory wearing of face masks in public spaces and tracking and tracing methods.

Spanish police today broke up a 'coronavirus party' where guests were allegedly trying to spread the disease on purpose - as the country suffers a sharp rebound in cases with infections rising across Europe.

More than 60 people were found camping on an out-of-bounds Tenerife beach in what police called a 'get-together on the beach to spread Covid-19', apparently in the hope of developing immunity.

Civil Guard officers swooped to shut down the gathering with youngsters forced to dismantle their tents, but officials say the party was a 'very serious threat'.

Los Patos beach on Tenerife, where the alleged 'coronavirus party' took place, is traditionally a well-known nudist beach on the Canary Islands which have been lobbying for an exemption from Britain's quarantine rules.



A Spanish Civil Guard officer watches on as youngsters dismantle their tents on a closed Tenerife beach where guests are alleged to have attended a 'get-together to spread Covid-19



As European countries struggle to manage spikes in coronavirus cases, concern is mounting about a 'second wave' of uncoordinated border restrictions within Europe that threatens the free movement of goods and people - a foundation that the world's biggest trading bloc is built on.

Despite repeated warnings about the dangers of unannounced checks, some countries have imposed new restrictions, or demanded that travelers quarantine.

This is recalling the panic border closures after Europe's first outbreak emerged in Italy in February, blocking traffic and medical equipment.

Beyond the economic impact of uncoordinated measures, experts fear that countries are becoming so used to lowering the gates at their frontiers as they see fit that the future of Europe's ID-check free travel zone known as the Schengen area is in real peril.

In a letter to national governments, the European Commission warns that 'while we must ensure that the EU is ready for possible resurgences of COVID-19 cases ... we should at the same time avoid a second wave of uncoordinated actions at the internal borders of the EU.'

'The re-establishment of ineffective restrictions and internal border controls must be avoided.

'Rather, the response should be to have targeted, proportionate and coordinated measures, informed by scientific evidence,' the letter, sent to the 27 EU member countries and Britain, said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Foreign Secretary Highlights Impact of Intensified Strikes in Lebanon
UK Urges Inclusion of Lebanon in US-Iran Ceasefire Framework
UK Stocks Ease as Ceasefire Doubts in Middle East Weigh on Investor Confidence
UK Reassesses Cloud Strategy Amid Criticism Over Limited Support Measures
UK Calls for Full and Toll-Free Access Through Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Starmer Signals Strategic Shift for Britain Amid Escalating Iran-Linked Tensions
UK Issues Firm Warning to Russia Over Covert Underwater Military Activity
OpenAI Halts Stargate UK Project, Casting Uncertainty Over Britain’s AI Expansion Plans
Starmer Voices Frustration Over Global Pressures Driving UK Energy Costs Higher
UK Deploys Military Assets to Protect Undersea Cables From Suspected Russian Threat
Canada Aligns With US, UK and Australia as Europe Prepares Major Digital Border Overhaul
Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance Sparks Fresh Speculation
Starmer Warns Sustained Effort Needed to Ensure US–Iran Ceasefire Holds
UK to Partner with Shipping Industry to Rebuild Confidence in Strait of Hormuz, Cooper Says
UK Interest Rate Expectations Ease Following US–Iran Ceasefire Agreement
Starmer Signals Major Effort Needed to Fully Reopen Strait of Hormuz During Gulf Visit
UK Fuel Prices Face Ongoing Volatility Amid Global Pressures and Domestic Factors
Kanye West’s Planned Italy Festival Appearance Draws Debate After UK Entry Ban
Smuggling Routes Shift Toward Belgium as Migrant Crossings to UK Evolve
Ceasefire Offers Potential Relief for UK Fuel and Food Prices Amid Ongoing Uncertainty
Iran Conflict Raises Questions Over UK’s Global Influence and Military Preparedness
Senator McConnell Visits Kentucky to Highlight Federal Investment in Local Projects
Kanye West Barred from Entering UK as Legal Grounds Come into Focus
UK Denies Visa to Kanye West After Sponsors Withdraw from Wireless Festival
Trump-Era Forest Service Restructuring Leads to Closure of UK Lab Focused on Kentucky Woodland Health
Foreign Students in the UK Describe Harsh Living Conditions and Financial Pressures
Reform UK Proposes Visa Restrictions on Nations Pursuing Reparations Claims
Public Reaction Divides Over UK Decision to Bar Kanye West
Calls Grow for UK to Review US Base Access Following Concerns Over Escalating Rhetoric
UK Indicates It Will Not Permit Use of Its Bases for Potential US Strikes on Iran’s Energy Infrastructure
UK Prime Minister Defends Decision to Bar Kanye West, Questions Festival Booking
UK Accelerates Efforts to Harmonise Medical Technology Rules with United States
Wireless Festival Cancelled After Kanye West Denied Entry to the United Kingdom
Australia’s most decorated living soldier was arrested at Sydney Airport and charged with five counts of war-crime murder for the killing of unarmed Afghan civilians
The CIA’s Secret Technology That Can Find You by Your Heartbeat Successfully Locates Downed Airman
Operation Europe: Trump Deploys Vance to Hungary to Save the EU
King Charles Faces Criticism From Some UK Christians Over Absence of Easter Message
Former UK Defence Secretary Raises Concerns Over Ability to Counter Iran Missile Threat
UK Signals Non-Involvement in Iran Conflict as Trump Reasserts Firm Deterrence Stance
US and UK Strengthen Medical Device Cooperation Following Tariff Removal
Trump Backs Steve Hilton for California Governor, Highlighting Reform Agenda
UK Seeks Closer Ties With Anthropic as AI Policy Divergence Emerges Across Atlantic
Experts Warn of Evolving Extremism After Teens Arrested in UK Ambulance Arson Case
UK Convenes Talks to Safeguard Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz After Conflict Escalation
Trump Highlights Strong Leadership in Critique of UK Stance on Iran
UK Authorities Review Kanye West’s Entry Status Following Festival Backlash
UK Considers Deploying Aircraft Carrier for US Independence Day Celebrations Amid Renewed Transatlantic Focus
United Kingdom Moves to Attract AI Firm Anthropic Amid Tensions with US Defense Officials
RAF Intercepts Iranian Drones in Middle East to Defend Allied Security Interests
Labour Signals Shift on Foie Gras and Fur Restrictions to Advance EU Trade Talks
×