AceShowbiz - Former "Top Gear" star Jeremy Clarkson feared his days were numbered as the coronavirus left him struggling to breathe in the lead-up to Christmas.

The veteran British presenter shared his experience with COVID-19 in his weekend (03Jan21) column for The Sunday Times, admitting he was worried his history of bad health would ultimately lead to death.

"Four days before Christmas, I woke in the night to find my sheets were soggy. And that I had a constant dry cough," "The Grand Tour" co-host wrote.

"The doctor was very clear - I'd feel under the weather for between five and 14 days and then I'd either get better or I'd have to go to hospital."

As his breathing became "labored," he became convinced he was headed for an early demise. "Because I am 60 and fat, and because I've smoked half a million cigarettes and had double pneumonia, I'd probably die, on my own, in a lonely plastic tent," he continued.

"I'm not going to lie - it was quite scary. With every illness I've had, there has always been a sense that medicine and time would eventually ride to the rescue. But with COVID-19 you have to lie there, on your own, knowing that medicine is not on its way and that time is your worst enemy."

And although Clarkson is on the mend now, he notes the lack of knowledge surrounding the novel coronavirus is concerning.

"We don't know how long we are infectious for. We don't know how to tackle it. We don't know what it does to us," he added.

"We don't know how long the antibodies last. We don't know how easy it is to catch it twice. And we certainly don't know if any of the vaccines will work long-term. I don't even know if I'm better now."