Broadcaster Angela Rippon has provided Strictly Come dancing fans with a health update after it was announced she was forced to pull out of the show’s live tour.
She has now revealed what happened and that she can now in fact continue dancing in the live shows.
Rippon said she suffered a “serious asthma attack” which caused her to stop breathing when she was dancing on stage in Liverpool on Wednesday night.
After receiving treatment from paramedics on site, she explained that she could breathe again but was prescribed two days of bed rest by the doctor, causing her to miss shows in Leeds.
Angela Rippon ‘dancing fit’ and will return to Strictly tour
Now though, she says she is “dancing fit” and will return to the stage tonight (February 3) at Manchester’s AO Arena with her professional dance partner Kai Widdrington.
In a video post on Instagram, Rippon said: “Hello everyone, I’m afraid I’ve been off the grid for a couple of days because, as some of you may know, I suffered a major medical meltdown at the beginning of the week.
“When we were in Liverpool I managed to pick up an infection which went straight to my chest. It affected my breathing very badly and, as some of you may know, I do suffer from asthma.
“And on Wednesday evening, when I was about to go on and dance the Cha Cha Cha, I’m afraid the infection triggered a serious asthma attack and when I started to dance, I stopped breathing basically.
“Which was all a bit scary, not just for me, but for Kai as well because I was a bit like a rag doll on the dance floor – sorry Liverpool.
“And I think Kai wasn’t really quite sure what was happening but, fortunately, we always had paramedics in the arenas when we perform and when I came off they gave me oxygen so I was able to breathe again, and also make the trip to Leeds.”
Explaining what happened, she said that when she got to Leeds, the company doctor said her infection was “a lot worse” than she had first thought.
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They requested she rest and prescribed “a very impressive regime of medication”.
Following the treatment, she is back on her feet, adding: “I can’t say I’m fighting fit, but I’m certainly dancing fit so I’m ready to start ripping up the dance floor again on the tour, starting right here tonight in Manchester.”
The broadcaster thanked everyone who sent her “wonderful messages” and said she feels the support and medication have “worked their magic”.
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