Rishi Sunak held the hand of a presenter who fainted during a dramatic TV Tory debate, with Liz Truss also rushing to her side.
The TalkTV/Sun leadership clash was halted after host Kate McCann passed out while the Tory hopefuls were clashing over the NHS and tax cuts.
Ms Truss was mid-sentence when a crash was heard and she appeared to say "oh my God" before the broadcast was halted.
Eyewitnesses told The Sun that Mr Sunak rushed to her side and held her hand, while Ms Truss also raced to check she was ok.
Both candidates were seen kneeling down beside Ms McCann to make sure she was alright.
The pair then continued to take questions from the audience after the show went off air.
A News UK spokeswoman said: "Kate McCann fainted on air last night and although she is fine, the medical advice was that we shouldn't continue with the debate.
"We apologise to our viewers and listeners."
In the debate's spin room, top Tory Dominic Raab looked stunned as the programme came off air and immediately reached for his phone.
Conservative MP Richard Holden also appeared shocked by events.
Support poured in for Ms McCann, an experienced journalist who worked for Sky News and in newspapers before joining TalkTV.
Mr Sunak wrote: "Good news that you're already recovering [Kate McCann].
"It was a great debate and I look forward to getting grilled by you again shortly!"
Ms Truss also tweeted: "Relieved to hear [Kate McCann] is fine. Really sorry that such a good debate had to end. Look forward to catching up with Kate and the rest of the The Sun TalkTV team again soon."
Ms McCann, TalkTV's political editor, was meant to co-host the programme alongside The Sun's political editor Harry Cole, but he tested positive for Covid-19 hours before the programme was due to air.
The Tory leadership candidates are battling to win the support of Conservative members in a six-week run-off.
Ballots will begin arriving on doorsteps next week for the final round of the contest, which will see a new PM installed in No10 in September.
The first of a dozen membership hustings will take place on Thursday in Leeds, with a Sky News leadership debate planned for next week.
