Carol Vorderman has revealed she was rushed to hospital in May after falling unconscious, suffering a concussion and persistent dizziness that required specialist treatment. The 65-year-old former Countdown star shared her ordeal on Instagram, explaining that she tripped over a tree root near her home, hit her head, and was taken to hospital by ambulance.
Details of the fall and initial hospitalisation
In a video clip posted to her followers, Vorderman described how she stumbled on a public path, fell on her head, and lost consciousness. She said: 'I tripped, unconscious, hospital, concussion, massive dizziness.' Her son Cam told her that the song 'Final Countdown' was playing in the ambulance, which she found amusing.
She was discharged but the next day could not sit up and experienced severe vomiting, leading to a return to the Bristol Royal Infirmary for CT scans. She added: 'Almost half of my face developing black eye and bruising (that's why I wasn't doing reels in June!!!) 2/3 weeks later things had settled BUT I was dizzy like I was walking on a moving ship.'
Specialist treatment at a concussion clinic
Vorderman sought help from a concussion clinic that typically treats professional athletes. There, specialist Sophie diagnosed her with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), a condition caused by dislodged crystals in the inner ear. Vorderman explained: 'I think it's a tiny sack of crystals in the inner ear which gets dislodged and needs to go back together.'
Sophie performed the Epley Technique, which involves a series of head movements to reposition the crystals. Vorderman described the sensation: 'OMG it felt like I was falling off the edge of the earth!!!! She held me until the feeling passed for a minute or so. Then did the same on the other side.'
Recovery and fan support
After three rounds of treatment, Vorderman was discharged, reporting that 95% of her dizziness had disappeared. Supporters flooded her comments with well-wishes, with one writing: 'Hope you're doing well now,' and another saying: 'Take care.'
