Strictly Come Dancing star 'almost died' after choking on fish bone moments before Blackpool show

The 65-year-old described thinking it "was the end" after she was saved by a makeup artist, half an hour before Saturday's show in Blackpool.

She had been preparing backstage before going live to around seven million people from the iconic Ballroom Tower when the incident happened.

Posting updates to social media afterwards, Ballas said she was feeling a "bit hoarse" but was recovering.

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She wrote: "I choked on a fishbone. It got lodged in my throat and my wonderful Jane, who has been with me for nine years, did the Heimlich manoeuvre and we got the bone out.

"Gratitude to Jane because I panicked. I really thought that was it, the end, amen.

"But for 20 minutes there, it was lodged and I couldn’t breathe so it was terrifying.

'We'd have been a judge down tonight if it wasn't for her."

The judge headed back to London following the show and updated her fans on how she was feeling by adding: "I'm a bit hoarse, but all is good."

In another Instagram post, she said: "Almost didn't make it to the desk last night."

Following the ordeal, Ballas has now vowed to learn the Heimlich manoeuvre, which involves someone performing abdominal thrusts to dislodge an object stuck in someone's airways.

She said: "I'm going to study now in case I ever come across anybody who needs my help."

Fans flooded her comments with well-wishes for the star.

One wrote: "Really glad to hear you're ok' and 'how scary for you."

Another replied: "So pleased that you are ok, must have been a scary moment. Huge thanks to the team for helping you."