Denise Van Outen has detailed how surgeons had to remove her voice box to access her spine after she was injured during her stint on Strictly Come Dancing.
The presenter and singer competed in the 2012 series of the BBC dance show when she was dropped on her head in a horrifying training accident.
Speaking to Lorraine Kelly about the incident, Denise revealed that doctors were worried she would never sing again following the op.
“I did have a fall and I was dropped on my head and my neck went,” Denise said.
“I slipped three discs in my spinal cord and I did the final of Strictly Come Dancing with steroid injections. I don’t know how I got through it.
“I had major surgery and they had to take my voice box out. They were worried I would never be able to sing again, because you can get a hoarse voice after an operation like that.”
She continued: “The rehabilitation was quite a long time, but I kept it very private just because as much as I’m out there and I talk about things, there are some things in my life that I do like to keep private.
“I wasn’t looking for public sympathy, I just wanted to heal on my own.
“I’m fine now. I’ve got a small scar on my neck, so I get asked quite a lot on TV what the scar is from.”
Despite her injury, Denise went on to compete in the final of Strictly, with her professional partner James Jordan. The pair ended up as runners up alongside Kimberley Walsh and Pasha Kovalev, with Louis Smith and Flavia Cacace going on to win the 2012 series.
This isn’t the only TV show that has resulted in Denise being injured. Last year she was forced to quit Dancing On Ice early after fracturing her shoulder during training.
She withdrew from the show after being told by doctors the injury would leave her severely limited in training.