A Strictly Come Dancing judge revealed she “couldn’t breathe” and “almost didn’t make it” just 20 minutes before the Blackpool special on Saturday (22 November).
Head judge Shirley Ballas recounted the “terrifying” experience which saw her choking on a fishbone whilst backstage, in an Instagram video message.
“It got lodged in my throat”, she explained, before praising her “wonderful” hairstylist Jane who performed the Heimlich manoeuvre and saved her. “We’d have been a judge down tonight if it wasn’t for her,” she said.
“But for 20 minutes there, it was lodged and I couldn’t breathe, so it was terrifying.”
