Natalie Pinkham has announced she's set for a return to the Sky Sports F1 punditry team, having been forced to pull out after undergoing neck surgery. Pinkham withdrew from her presenting duties after being told she could be at risk of permanent nerve damage caused by a disc pressing on her spinal cord.

As a result, Pinkham required surgery and has been out of action ever since, but has revealed she is set for a return when the new season gets underway, albeit she will miss Sunday's opener in Australia. Taking to social media to issue her latest health update, Pinkham said she's excited to get back after a "difficult" period in recovery.

She said: "Hi friends. So, it has been a long, and if I'm completely honest, quite difficult five months of rehab since my neck surgery, but I'm really happy to say that I have been given the all clear to do long hauls again.

"My first [race] that I will be presenting for Sky F1 this year is Japan. And I am really happy about that because I bloody love Suzuka, so very excited to see you then. And it will be the first time that the 'Karen cage', the bit of metal work at the back of my neck, is going to the other side of the world - [it's] called Karen because she moans a lot."

Pinkham went on to say that she's planning to name the neck scar 'Scarlos Sainz', with Williams driver Carlos Sainz providing his own social media clip to announce it.

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Pinkham also shared some progress photos of the scar, right from early on in her recovery, to five months on. The presenter is set for a return to our screens for the Japan Grand Prix, which gets underway the weekend commencing March 27.

Speaking at the time of her withdrawal from Sky Sports duties, she wrote: "Hello friends... I had hoped to be on a flight to Brazil yesterday, but the last couple of months have been trickier than I expected following neck surgery; and I am not there just yet. Huge thanks to the Sky F1 team and the wider company for their incredible support.

"Here's to family, friends, good food and fresh air for their combined healing qualities. Now the hard work really starts."

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