- Published
Alison Hammond has said she feared she was having a heart attack on air when she had to rush off ITV's This Morning, mid-way through the programme last week.
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she → publish → programme
The presenter appeared to clutch her chest as she left the show last Friday, and was taken to hospital to have a heart check-up.
She turned out to have suffered a panic attack, and said the experience was "probably one of the most scariest things I've ever been through".
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I → appear → things
Returning for her weekly slot on Friday, she told viewers: "I couldn't catch my breath and I genuinely thought I was having a heart attack.
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I → return → attack
I feel so grateful.
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I → feel → ?
I feel so thankful to God, to everything in life."
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I → feel → life
She added: "It felt like a heart attack.
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It → add → attack
Alongside co-host Dermot O'Leary, Hammond introduced the programme by thanking him for holding the fort after her dramatic early exit, and also thanking everyone who sent good wishes.
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who → introduce → wishes
She added: "It was the first time I've ever experienced anything like that.
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I → add → that
Secondly it was live on TV so I thought, oh my gosh, my son might be watching.
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son → think → TV
So I just ran.
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I → run → ?
I ran off TV.
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I → run → TV
I would never do that normally but I just couldn't catch my breath."
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I → do → breath
'Like a wave'
The panic attack came on very quickly, she explained.
"It just was like a wave, something which I've now found out is adrenaline.
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I → come → wave
That came into my body.
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That → come → body
I couldn't catch my breath and I genuinely thought I was having a heart attack.
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I → catch → attack
The experience has given her a new perspective on life, she continued.
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she → give → life
"I'm so happy that I'm here, and I'm so happy to see you," she said, putting both hands on Dermot's cheeks before hugging him.
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she → see → him
And I'm so glad we're alive, and if anything it's made me look at life so much differently.
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me → make → life
I'm drinking a lot of water."
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I → drink → water
The 51-year-old compared the feeling of the panic attack to crossing into a "surreal" place like the otherworldly Upside Down in TV show Stranger Things.
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old → compare → Things
I felt like I went into the other world - what's that show that I loved?
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I → feel → that
You know when you go into the Upside Down world?
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you → know → world
I felt like I went into the Upside Down world.
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I → feel → world
I couldn't grasp my breath, and it was a panic attack."
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it → grasp → breath
Hammond and O'Leary also spoke further about panic attacks with former BBC Breakfast host and psychologist Dr Sian Williams, who has written a book about anxiety.
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who → speak → anxiety
Hammond said she had been unsure about returning to This Morning - but felt that if she didn't come back this week, she may never do so.
"
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she → say → Morning
I'll be honest with you, I was anxious about coming back.
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I → come → you
But I thought, if I don't come back today, I probably wouldn't come back.
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I → think → ?
"I actually thought, I don't think I'll come back, because then I would have made a thing that it's This Morning that's causing the panic.
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that → think → panic
But it can happen anywhere.
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it → happen → ?
It comes in ebbs and flows."
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It → come → ebbs
She and Williams also discussed the pressure of presenting live TV.
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She → discuss → TV
"I do live TV all the time, I didn't realise it was having - I don't know if it was having an impact - the fact that you have to be 'on' in order to do it.
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you → do → it
I don't know," Hammond said.
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Hammond → know → ?
She concluded the segment by telling viewers: "I'm back, babes.
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I → conclude → viewers
Following her departure from last Friday's episode, Hammond posted a video from a hospital bed saying she was "getting my old ticker checked out" after what she described as "a little bit of a palpitation", which she hoped "was just a little panic attack".
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she → follow → palpitation
She missed the Attitude Awards on Wednesday, where she won the The Honorary Gay Award.
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she → miss → Award
The Birmingham-born presenter also hosts TV shows including This Morning and For the Love of Dogs.
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presenter → bear → Dogs
Also known as anxiety attacks, panic attacks can affect anyone, regardless of age, background or whether they have a history of anxiety.
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they → know → anxiety
According to the MIND mental health charity, panic attacks are an extreme anxiety response.
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attacks → accord → charity
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
