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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Tina Campbell

Gemma Collins 'nearly died' after drinking a wasp in Venice

Gemma Collins has revealed she 'nearly died' while on holiday in Venice.

The 43-year-old former The Only Way Is Essex star - who refers to herself as “The GC” - was rushed to hospital after she was stung by a wasp and her tongue swelled up.

An ambulance can be seen arriving via water in a video documenting the Essex-native’s ordeal on social media.

Explaining that she had been in the Italian city with fiancé Rami Hawash to look at wedding menus when the incident happened, Collins told her 2.2million followers: "I'm sitting here drinking my coffee As I drink it I feel a sharp sting on my tongue, and it could only happen to me.

"And now I'm about to die because my tongue is swelling up so much. But we've got an ambulance coming. I'm gonna have the injection, and I'm not dying today."

Alongside her video she added: “I NEARLY DIED …..

“My tongue swelled so quick thank god @rami_hawash_ acted so quick and the hotel and a HUGE THANK YOU TO THE HOSPITAL IN VENICE AND ALL INVOLVED.”

The reality TV star continued: “And if course I always say there is a reason for everything and this was my answer …..

Dramatic footage posted to Gemma Collins’ Instagram showed an ambulance arriving by sea (Instagram @gemmacollins)

"Wasp is the powerful female warrior and shamanic healer, prompting us to take a good look at our lives and ask if we are fighting the good fight. If you are stung by Wasp, it’s her way of saying, ‘Wake up! Do your spiritual work!”

The incident is the second time Collins has described a brush with death in recent months as in August she told how she was “lucky to be alive after getting caught up in the same terrifying storm that sank UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch's yacht off Sicily.

Lynch - who was worth an estimated £852m and had been referred to as the “Bill Gatesof Britain” - died along with his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, an onboard cook and four guests died after his luxury superyacht capsized near Porticello in the early hours of August 19.

Officials say the luxury vessel, the Bayesian, was hit by a freak “tornado” before sinking 160ft to the bottom of the sea bed.

Collins said she had been left “shaken” after she and her 15-year-old nephew Hayden - who had been onboard another luxury ship - were left stranded at sea for four hours.

“I was very lucky me and my nephew to have survived the storm at sea. I am shaken and returning to the UK tomorrow, god was on our side today. We was stuck for 4 hours can you imagine what was going through my mind. Thank you @bluediamondcruise for getting us back safely,” she said on an Instagram post alongside footage from the boat.

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