BBC presenter Chemmy Alcott has revealed how a holiday thrill-seeking stunt ended with her in hospital after she suffered a collapsed lung.
The Ski Sunday presenter, 44, had been enjoying a trip to Lake Annecy in the French Alps when she decided to take a leap from a five-metre platform. But what should have been an adrenaline-fuelled holiday memory quickly turned into a medical emergency after Chemmy badly timed a front flip and landed heavily.
She was left struggling to breathe and needed hospital treatment, including a chest drain. Sharing a video of the jump alongside pictures from her hospital stay, Chemmy explained just how dramatically things had gone wrong.
What happened
Chemmy jumped in the water and said: “Most people badly time a front flip off a five metre platform and get winded. I apparently don’t do things by halves, collapsed lung, chest drain and a very expensive lesson in rotation.”
In another caption, she admitted the French getaway had not quite gone according to plan. Chemmy wrote: “Well… that escalated quickly. Turns out 5 metres is quite a long way to discover you’ve got the rotation wrong.
“One badly timed front flip. One very hard landing. One collapsed lung. One chest drain. And a few more hospital overnights than were on the holiday itinerary…
“I absolutely LOVED Annecy… but I’m not entirely sure it loved me back.”
Hospital stay and fan support
The presenter also shared a photograph of herself in a hospital bed attached to wires, as well as a snap showing her undergoing treatment with a tube coming from the side of her chest.
Fans were quick to send messages of support after seeing the aftermath of the accident. One wrote: “Oh my God!! Get well soon.” Another said: “It’s crazy because the fall in the video doesn’t look harmful.” A third added: “Oh my God! Get well soon, we do live SO vicariously through your antics!!”
Career background
The accident comes after a major career change for Chemmy, who stepped away from competitive skiing earlier this year following a serious run of injuries.
The former Team GB downhill skier had broken her leg three times in four years and was warned that another fracture could ultimately result in her leg being amputated.
She subsequently moved into television presenting and hosted BBC One’s coverage of the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina earlier this year.
Despite her career change, Chemmy has previously admitted that fear has always been something she’s learned to live with. She said: “I have a very healthy relationship with fear.
“So many times, I’ve stared down a mountain, ready to throw myself down and knowing there’s a chance it could go badly.
“It’s kind of the same with TV. When we’re going live on TV and you hear the countdown, there are butterflies in the tummy.
“You get those same butterflies in the starting gate, ready to go racing at 80mph with loads of G-force down a mountain.
“It’s live. Anything can go wrong or you can have the ride of your life.”
