Richard Madeley could have been in the right place at the right time as he reveals he suffered a fall as he arrived for work on Good Morning Britain. Instead of heading to the ITV studio for the latest edition of the news programme on Monday (December 12), the presenter and co-host Kate Garraway headed to a North West hospital.
While Ranvir Singh held the fort solo in the studio, Richard and Kate headed to host the show live from Whiston Hospital in Merseyside. The show's own Dr Amir Khan and Dr Hilary Jones were also at one of the busiest hospitals in the North-West to shed light on the current pressures facing the NHS frontline, ahead of possible strike action this week and next.
GMB were given unprecedented access to areas of the hospital which would not encroach upon patient care or privacy. From the ambulance station to the specialist frailty unit, Kate, Richard and Dr Amir spoke to staff from a number of departments, who gave a genuine insight into what is happening on the frontline.
Past and present patients also joined to share their experience at the hospital, with many expressing gratitude for their care from specialist units. During the show, Kate said: "It's been an extraordinary privilege for Richard and I to have the doors open to Whiston Hospital, for us to meet the staff.
"What’s clear to us, and should be reassuring to you, is at the heart of the NHS is the people. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Men and women saving lives every day. That heart is still there, we just need to support it."
Gavin and Stacey star Alison Steadman, who continues to campaign against the privatisation of the NHS, also chatted to Richard and Kate via video link as she spoke about the lack of government action which has led to upcoming strike action: "I just think it’s a disgrace.
"Nurses don’t want to strike, that's the last thing they want to do. Thousands of nurses have left the profession and have just walked out because they can’t cope anymore, and therefore we are at a crisis point. The government should be saying, 'Let’s sit down and talk about this… let’s do something!'"
But during their broadcast, Richard revealed how he suffered a fall moments before heading in to present the special edition of the ITV show. The 66-year-old revealed how upon arriving at the hospital, he got out of the car and slipped over due to the snow. "It snowed here, I think the day before yesterday, so they've had a lot of falls," he said of the hospital.
"I fell over this morning getting out of the car," the host then told viewers. "Richard nearly didn’t make it on air,’ his co-host Kate added. "It was very tense." While Richard appeared unscathed, he did add: "[There are] a lot of people all over the country walking in [to hospitals] with fall accidents, so that is really putting the pressure up."
Meanwhile, GMB viewers couldn't help but joke that Richard appeared more 'Partridge' than usual as he repeatedly gets compared to Steve Coogan's iconic character Alan Partridge. Speaking from the frailty unit today, Richard appeared with his sleeves rolled up and tucked his tie into his shirt for cleanliness purposes.
"If you've just joined us, the reason we're in shirt sleeves and tie tucked in and all the rest of it - though that isn't really compulsory but I've done it just in case," he told the cameras. "Because it's a live ward and it's all about being bare below the elbow and being hygienic, so that's why we're going to look a bit casual."
Taking to Twitter, @reelofthe51st said: "Richard Madeley is Peak Partridge this morning! 'You don't have to tuck your tie in....I've done it just in case!' #gmb #goodmorningbritain." @Mofoman360 posted: "Richard Madeley going all Alan Partridge #GMB." @KarenlovesGB joked: "Richard Madeley with his sleeves rolled up as if he’s about to deliver a baby #gmb."
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