Alison Hammond: 'I thought I was having heart attack on air'
TV presenter Alison Hammond shared her experience of suffering a panic attack while filming 'This Morning', which she initially mistook for a heart attack. She has since returned to the show and expressed gratitude for the support she received during her recovery.
Why it matters
The public disclosure by a high-profile figure helps destigmatize mental health issues like panic attacks and highlights the physical symptoms associated with severe anxiety.
Image source, Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock Image caption, Hammond returned to This Morning one week after her dramatic early exit
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.
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".
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. I'm so glad I'm here. I feel so grateful. I feel so thankful to God, to everything in life."
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