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Amanda Holden almost pulled out of Britain’s Got Talent amid her daughter’s terrifying illness. The 53-year-old TV judge opened up about the “terrifying” moment her 18-year-old daughter, Lexi, was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening E. coli. Lexi, an A-level student, contracted the rare bacterial infection in May, before the current outbreak hit the headlines, leaving the initial cause of her illness unknown.
While Lexi’s condition deteriorated, Amanda was in the middle of filming BGT’s live shows. The mother-of-two revealed the behind-the-scenes struggles and how she seriously considered pulling out of the show. Amanda explained how she rushed her daughter to a tropical disease hospital after being warned Lexi was “in danger of contracting sepsis.” At the hospital, Lexi was immediately placed on a drip, and her worried parents stayed by her bedside for five days.
Describing the ordeal during BGT’s finals week to The Sun, Amanda recalled spending “all day” at the hospital before her husband, Chris Hughes, would take over, allowing her to rush to the TV studio. “I was filming Britain’s Got Talent live shows during this time and, had the situation worsened, I’d have had no hesitation in pulling out of the show,” Amanda said.
Unbeknownst to the public, Amanda was balancing caring for her daughter while performing on TV night after night. She recounted the exhausting week, saying, “I was getting about two hours’ sleep a night, but all I cared about was Lexi getting better.”
Amanda praised her fellow judges – Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon, and Bruno Tonioli – for being “brilliant” and “supportive” during the stressful time. Thankfully, Lexi is now on the road to recovery, and Amanda said she is “praying there’s no long-term damage.” She added that her daughter is now “doing so much better” and “living life like a normal 18-year-old” again.
Amanda shared Lexi’s story to help raise awareness about the condition, which they believe she contracted from pre-washed supermarket lettuce. The Heart Radio presenter urged, “I urge everyone to forensically wash their fruit and veg.”
Amanda also wants to raise awareness about the symptoms of E.coli, which can easily be mistaken for stress and anxiety. Lexi was preparing for her A-levels when she initially felt unwell, and Amanda attributed her daughter’s symptoms to exam stress. The West End star warned, “The reason I am speaking out is because I want to make people aware of the symptoms they could easily put down to stress or anxiety. They should be taken seriously, especially if long term.”