Vanessa Cuddeford, a former newsreader for the BBC and ITV, has spoken about suffering a panic attack live on air. The 44-year-old, who also worked for NBC News, was interviewing politician Vince Cable when she began choking and could not continue.
In an interview with Metro.co.uk, Cuddeford said: 'I felt like I was choking, my face got redder and I couldn't breathe. I started to cough and couldn't stop.' A colleague had to take over the interview, leaving her 'mortified'.
Cuddeford, who studied at Oxford University, had been a successful journalist for years, interviewing celebrities and politicians. But in 2011, amid job cut rumours, her anxiety spiralled. She began editing scripts to minimise time on camera and sometimes called in sick.
She said: 'My home life was affected. I would cry every Sunday night at the thought of going to work.' After becoming pregnant with her son Felix, she went on maternity leave and sought help through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and self-help books.
Cuddeford now runs a business coaching others with similar anxieties. She said: 'I spoke to colleagues in the industry and realised other people struggled with this too.' She encourages those affected to seek support and use techniques like the 'five-one' journaling method.
