Lorraine Kelly was seen close to tears on the latest edition of her ITV show as she faced her fear of getting back on a horse, a decade on from her own horrific riding accident.
The TV star could have died after she was left badly injured after the horse she was riding trampled on her while attempting a jump during a charity challenge in 2012. She had to undergo a four-hour-long emergency surgery and a blood transfusion after losing three pints of blood.
Ten years on, Lorraine admitted: "I still haven’t been able to go near a horse… ever since I’ve not really had any experience with horses."
However, late last month Lorraine visited 14-times Paralympic Gold medalist Sir Lee Pearson near his home in Stoke on Trent, and he helped her overcome her fears. Sir Lee started: "That unfortunate, terrible accident is enough to put anyone off horses. It was very traumatic, it was totally understandable…"
He continued: "I do understand that fear. I probably have a degree of fear every day I ride, because they are three-quarters of a ton of horse and I still think every day that it’s amazing that they allow me to sit on their backs."
Lorraine responded: "I obviously trust you implicitly, but I have to get over that [fear]. You can’t have that fear, you have to confront it sometimes and get over it…"
The moment the 62-year-old faced her fears was aired on Lorraine's self-titled show on Tuesday morning (May 10). The short filmed showed her meeting the horse she was going to ride, named Zion - who Sir Lee won Gold with at the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.
Lorraine revealed: "I’m feeling a wee bit anxious, but not as bad as I thought it would be. I think that’s because I’ve got Sir Lee beside me and he’s given me a lot of confidence…"
The emotional presenter continued: "This is a massive step forward, just actually standing here so close [to a horse]. I haven’t done that for ten years. I’m just not sure if I can get on though, I’ll try… I still feel a little bit uncomfortable, so we’ll just see what happens."
Wearing Sir Lee's Championship hat from the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020, Lorraine then successfully mounted the horse. Before she did, she shared: "I want to do it and my body’s not letting me. I really do. Oh my God!"
Once astride the horse, tearfully Lorraine said: "Oh my goodness me! Not in a million years, I never thought I would do this." To which Sir Lee explained: "You’re going to have me crying in a minute!" After her trot around the field, Sir Lee said it was "very emotional".
"She stayed on Zion’s back a lot longer than I expected, what more could you ask for? I’m unbelievably proud of Lorraine. Very flattered that she chose my home and one of my horses to get over this remarkable incident that happened to her. Just a great day!"
And Lorraine concluded: "I have to say, that was much more emotional than I thought it would be. I couldn’t have done it with anybody else, apart from Sir Lee. He’s just brilliant and has given me so much confidence. And that beautiful, beautiful horse!... That was incredible, thank you so much."
Holding back more tears, Lorraine said: "I’m not going to feel frightened anymore. I’m not, I’m not and that’s a huge, huge, big deal for me, it really is. Yep..."
In 2012 Lorraine was attempting a jump during a training event when she fell from the horse, which then stamped on her thigh. Paramedics were called to Chessington Equestrian Centre where the TV star was bleeding heavily. She was taken to the hospital where she underwent surgery on her wound.
