TV star Emma Willis is currently recovering from undergoing heart surgery.
The 49-year-old presenter, who shares three children with Busted musician Matt Willis, opened up about her health last month in a shocking announcement.
Here’s a rundown of her heart surgery battle and everything she’s said about it…
Emma Willis announces keyhole heart surgery
On April 23, Emma took to Instagram to share a series of photos of herself in the hospital. In the first slide, she posed in a standard patient gown.
In another snapshot, Emma was captured lying down in her hospital bed while recovering from her op. She also posed alongside healthcare workers.
While sharing a lengthy statement, she kicked her caption off by sharing a “big humungous THANK YOU to the team at the Royal Brompton Hospital for their care and support”.
“A few weeks ago, I had keyhole heart surgery, which feels very strange to write, and even stranger when I say it out loud. From investigations last year, to diagnosis and then surgery, they were absolutely incredible,” Emma said while noting that Matt “never left my side”.
“Turns out, I’ve been pottering around for 48 years blissfully unaware I had a hole in my heart. Isn’t it bonkers what’s happening in our bodies that we have no idea about…”
She added: “What blows my mind even more is the wonders of modern medicine, and the spectacular people that save, fix and help us every single day. Can you imagine what it must feel like to have a pair of hand that can do that job?! They are the real superstar.”
Emma praised her doctor, Dr Ee Ling Heng, stating: “She has an ease and warmth that made me feel instantly comfortable all whilst being incredible professional and informative. I ask a million questions, and she answered them with the patience of a saint.
“I knew as soon as we met that she was the woman I wanted poking around in my heart. Thank you Ee Ling, you’re one in a trillion.”
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Emma returns to work
The following day, Emma made a public appearance alongside hubby Matt.
The pair hit the red carpet for the first time since her op at the BAFTA TV Craft Award nominees’ party at The V&A in London.
Emma was captured on Matt’s Instagram Story flashing a radiant smile. “Just us at the BAFTA nominees party last night,” he captioned the post.
A couple of weeks later, Emma hosted This Morning alongside Rylan Clark on Monday (May 5). The VE Day special was a hit with viewers, who demanded that Emma and Rylan should permanently replace Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley.
‘The healing is all internal and you can’t feel it’
While exclusively speaking to The Sun, Emma opened up about finding out she needed surgery.
“It’s a bit of a head scramble when you find out something like that, that you’ve had something there your whole life, and you had no idea about it,” she said.
“I’m a brilliant overthinker, and my mind will go in every possible direction and scenario, so going into something like surgery, I really got myself at it, I get really anxious and nervous.”
She also discussed how she’s been recovering since the operation.
Emma described her recovery as “smooth”, insisting it’s been “much more of a psychological adjustment” due to not having “a wound that you can see”.
‘Any kind of weirdness with it sends you a bit panicky’
The former Big Brother host said the “healing is all internal and you can’t feel it”.
Emma shared that the biggest thing she’s having to overcome is “getting your head around the fact that your heart has to learn how to work in a different way to how it’s worked for nearly half a century”.
“Any kind of weirdness with it sends you a bit panicky, but I’ve got a good little coach here on breath work and wellness.”
Read more: Emma Willis set for TV return in ‘groundbreaking’ new show Change Your Mind, Change Your Life
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