BBC ski presenter Chemmy Alcott suffers a collapsed lung and is left struggling to breathe as she is rushed to hospital after a 'badly timed front flip' while jumping into Lake Annecy

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BBC presenter Chemmy Alcott has suffered a collapsed lung and left struggling to breathe as she was rushed to hospital after a 'badly timed front flip' into Lake Annecy.

The Ski Sunday host, 44, shared a clip of herself jumping off a five metre platform into the glacial lake in the French Alps during a family holiday. 

However, she was quickly rushed to hospital after being left struggling to breathe due to a 'collapsed lung'.

She said: 'Most people badly time a front flip off a five metre platform and get winded. I apparently don't do things by halves, collapsed lung, chest drain and a very expensive lesson in rotation.' 

Chemmy captioned the clip: 'Well… that escalated quickly. Turns out 5 metres is quite a long way to discover you’ve got the rotation wrong.

'One badly timed front flip. One very hard landing. One collapsed lung. One chest drain. And a few more hospital overnights than were on the holiday itinerary…

'I absolutely LOVED Annecy… but I’m not entirely sure it loved me back.'

BBC presenter Chemmy Alcott has suffered a collapsed lung and left struggling to breathe as she was rushed to hospital after a 'badly timed front flip' into Lake Annecy

The Ski Sunday host, 44, shared a clip of herself jumping off a five metre platform into the glacial lake in the French Alps during a family holiday

Taking to her Instagram Stories, Chemmy revealed after the 'embarrassing' jump she decided to rush back to the top of the five metre board to jump a second time. 

She added: 'Re my reel, I actually went back up straight away in embarrassment and did this just so I wasn't making a big deal of it. 

'Then I realised I still couldn't breathe properly and should probably go get it checked out.' 

Chemmy was enjoying a family holiday with her two sons and fellow former British skier husband Dougie Crawford. 

The Brighton-born skier – who retired in 2014 and counts Zara and Mike Tindall as friends – was inundated with get well soon messages from friends and fans. 

They wrote: 'Oh my god!! Get well soon chica x.'

'No fear xxx Get well soon my love.'

'OMG Chemmy!!! What a thing to happen take it easy. A chest drain is sooo painful too. Recover quick.'

'Flipping heck Chemmy!!!'

'Gee!! When I first saw this I thought ouch that’s a bit of a belly flop. Wasn’t expecting the escalation! Get fit and well soon!'

Chemmy has previously starred on ITV's Dancing On Ice and presents Ski Sunday alongside Ed Leigh.

But she won BBC viewers over with her presenting during the Winter Olympics as she wore her heart on her sleeve as the action played out in the Italian Alps in February. 

When US skier Lindsey Vonn's heroic quest for one last medal ended with the 41-year-old crashing dramatically on the slopes and howling in pain, ex-Olympian Chemmy couldn't hold back the tears as she broadcast from the slope.

The seven-time British champ was so upset at the American star's career-ending wipeout that her voice cracked and the tears flowed as she recounted to viewers what had happened.

However, she was quickly rushed to hospital after being left struggling to breathe due to a 'collapsed lung'

Taking to her Instagram Stories, Chemmy revealed after the 'embarrassing' jump she decided to rush back to the top of the five metre board to jump a second time

The Brighton-born skier - who retired in 2014 and counts Zara and Mike Tindall as friends - was inundated with get well soon messages from friends and fans

She said: 'I feel guilty that I am this emotional. I just never believed it would end in a clump at the side of the piste, not moving.'

Vonn, who already had a ruptured ACL knee ligament, suffered a 'complex' broken leg in the horror smash and was heard howling in agony on the mountain before being airlifted to hospital.

Fans heaped praise on the mother of two for her honest reaction – a world away from how BBC sports presenters might once have been encouraged to act live on air – with one saying: 'I cried and sobbed with you Chemmy… the emotion was overwhelming.'

One fan gushed after watching the broadcaster this week: 'I have a funny feeling we are going to see you a lot more of you on the telly!'

Another added: 'You're doing an amazing job, loving your contribution to the coverage.'

The last time the British public saw so much of Chemmy was during her stint as a competitor on now-defunct ITV reality show Dancing on Ice.

She previously told This is Money that she wouldn't have been able to make her skiing comeback after injury without the financial cash injection the show gave her – but that it also brought untold pressure to progress to the show's finals stages.

Chemmy said afterwards: 'I went on a night out with Torvill and Dean that changed everything.

'After that, I got invited to go on Dancing On Ice.

'You do not make much money from going on the show, but you do make a lot from the subsequent tour.

Chemmy was enjoying a family holiday with her two sons and husband fellow former British skier Dougie Crawford

Chemmy has previously starred on ITV's Dancing On Ice and presents Ski Sunday alongside Ed Leigh as well as presenting the Winter Olympics earlier this year

'I was determined to come in the top six, go on tour and be able to fund my ski racing and get back to the Olympics.

'As a result, I found the show stressful. I knew at the back of my mind I had to do well. I could not relax and enjoy my 15 minutes in the limelight.'

She came fifth 'went on tour and increased my profile', which she says paid for her to ski the following year.

Chemmy's partner on the show, Canadian ice skater Sean Rice, died at the age of 49 in 2022.

The Dancing On Ice star was praised by Chemmy, saying: 'The world will miss your amazing energy and your healing hands.'

Chemmy finally hung up her skis in 2014, after finishing 19th in the women's downhill in Sochi, Russia, defying medics to compete.

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