Kirsty Gallacher has revealed she suffered a breakdown after the end of her marriage to Paul Sampson – which sparked her to collapse at Sky Sports News.
The 47-year-old was married to rugby player Paul, 45, from 2010 until 2015. The following year the Sky Sports News presenter hit the headlines as it was revealed she had collapsed during an ad break at the TV station and rushed to hospital.
It was revealed at the time that Kirsty was suffering from "extreme exhaustion and a viral infection".
Now, Kirsty has spoken out on the incident and revealed that, while it seemed she had everything together before the collapse, she was struggling with her commitments to work and taking part in Strictly Come Dancing.
Speaking to her pal Gabby Logan on her podcast the Mid Point, she explained: "I made some wrong decisions. My decision making, I don't need to say too much, was not brilliant and I couldn't cope with anything and I actually collapsed on Sky Sports.
"I didn't know what was going on and I just collapsed. I had a virus and I was also having, I think, a breakdown. I've never really been told that but I know I was because I know what was going on in my head, which was I wanted to run away, really. I was just in pain."
She added: "I was a wreck. I was skinny as rake. I was running on empty, running from dance rehearsals with the lovely Brendan Cole to Sky Sports to rehearsals at night.
"It was more than exhausting, emotionally, physically.
"There was nothing negative about the show apart from me being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was like a cauldron of emotion."
Kirsty added: "I had a breakdown. I didn't cope very well after that. I kept going for so long."
In the lead up to her collapse on Sky Sports News, viewers noticed she had appeared to be "slurring her words" and it was rumoured her collapse and hospitalisation were due to excessive drinking, which sources close to her denied.
However, a source exclusively told Mirror Celebs: "Kirsty did go out for dinner the night before but there was no excessive drinking - and remember she goes on air at 4pm, not 4am.
"Kirsty is flabbergasted and shocked that a few people assumed she was drinking before she went on air - in fact, if you watch the footage it looks as though she suddenly felt unwell but carried on with presenting."
After her divorce Kirsty, who shares sons Oscar and Jude with ex Paul, was linked to comedian Jack Whitehall, Danny Cipriani and Laurence Fox.
Speaking about "filling the void" after her marriage breakdown, she said: "I did that classic thing of coming out a relationship and think great, 'let's go out partying'.
"You want to meet someone else quickly to fill the void. I'd been with Sampso for a long time, two kids they're my life. Suddenly I was like I'm on my own."
